


Supernatural AU: Everything Will Last Forever and Never

by laurbar2000



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-31
Updated: 2014-05-18
Packaged: 2018-01-17 18:32:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 35,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1398220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laurbar2000/pseuds/laurbar2000
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam and Dean Winchester's parents have been moving them around for as long as they can remember. Their father is an ex-Marine, and is still involved with the army, which causes the Winchesters to move around often from military base to military base. But suddenly Sam and Dean are being told that their parents might be letting them stay permanently somewhere. Somewhere just happens to be Lawrence, Kansas. Sam is thrilled at the idea of having a real life, with friends, in his freshman year of high school. Dean isn't too happy as a senior, knowing that after this year life will change a lot. If only he knew. Upon meeting new people and making new friendships, both Sam and Dean are put in positions that they've never experienced before. Sam is on the journey to his first date with Jess Moore; Dean is realizing that a certain girl might have more in common with him than meets the eye. The boys are put to the test on choosing friendships, and let's try not to forget that poor Castiel, Dean's new and unusual friend, is on the road to falling in love with a girl he doesn't understand. But, it's obvious where it's all headed. Anything that involves the Winchesters? Well...It's bound to be trouble.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Happy First Day!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Dean's first day begins...

Sam felt like he was drunk. And that was saying a lot, considering he hadn't ever been drunk before. 

"Hey, just relax, Sammy," Sam's older brother murmured. Dean kept his hand against Sam's forehead. "Damn, Sammy, you're burning up. I'm gonna tell Mom and Dad, there's no way you can go to school tomorrow--" 

Sam caught Dean's arm before he could go. "Dean, no!" he cried out. Dean raised an eyebrow in confusion. 

"You wanna go to school?" Dean smirked. "Man, I know you're a geek, but, come on. That's low, even for you!" 

Sam rolled his eyes. "Dean, it's my first day tomorrow." 

Dean paused, thinking. Suddenly, he wanted to smack himself in the face with a brick. Sam's first day of high school. 

Sam shifted in his bed. "You forgot I'm in the ninth grade this year?" 

"Um, no, I just... whatever. Congrats, Sammy," he smiled brightly. "You're one of the big kids. Well, the little kids. You're one of the younger kids in the high school of bigger kids. You're--"  
"Dean, I'm not a kid," Sam insisted. "And stop calling me 'Sammy.' Sammy was a chubby twelve-year-old. I'm--" 

"Hey, twelve was one years ago," Dean teased. "You're still my baby brother, no matter what you do." He grinned while Sam rolled his eyes. "Even if you end up like me, a tooootttaaalll chic magnet--" 

"Dean, you're so disgusting," Sam winced. "I'm not--ugh, do you mind? I'm sick, in case you've forgotten." 

"You're sick?" Dean feigned innocence. "Ohh, I better tell Mom and Dad that, then--" 

"Dean, I'm gonna kill you! You're such a--" 

"Bitch," Dean said. 

"Jerk," Sam said back. Even though Sam was trying to sound hostile, to get his brother out of his new room, he couldn't help but laugh at how fun his brother was. "Now get outta my room, Dean!" 

Dean laughed and ruffled Sam's hair, causing the young boy to swat at him. "G'night, Lil' Sammy!" 

"Good night, Dean," Sam snapped in his annoyed, stop-treating-me-like-I'm-five voice. It only made Dean feel even more proud of himself, but Dean did eventually leave. 

Once Sam was alone, he shifted underneath the covers. He shut his eyes tightly. "Please," he muttered. "Last time we move. I don't want to be the new kid again..." He was getting really, really agitated with his parent lately. They'd transferred schools six times since the beginning of his eighth grade year, and he just prayed that this would be the last time. He had felt so relieved, hopeful, even, when his parents got a house instead of a crummy apartment. Though, Sam had to admit that he was more comfortable falling asleep in the back seat of his Dad's 1967 Chevy Impala, his head on Dean's lap, than he was with a regular bed. Still, Sam loved the idea of being like the other kids. Normal. 

Sam smiled at the thought. One day, he'd be a normal person. No moving around. No complications. No being the new kid who was a friendless freak. Just him, and his family, living their life. 

Sam fell asleep with the peaceful fantasies of what his first day of school would be like, who he would meet, and what it would all be like. He felt a little scared, too. What if it goes terribly? Sam had a strange feeling about the whole thing, but eventually he let his eyes fall and he slept unti his alarm clock went off at five in the morning. 

 

Dean could hear Sam moaning in annoyance from the other room at his alarm clock. It went on for about ten minutes, until Dean had had enough. He sat forward in his bed, look at the new clock in his new bedroom of the new house, and he realized he and Sam had the potential to be late. On Sammy's first day of high school. First. Day. Ever. 

Dean couldn't wrap his brain around the whole idea. Sammy's a freshman, he kept thinking. My baby brother isn't that much of a baby anymore. 

And, besides the gut-wrenching realization that Sam was not a baby anymore, it made Dean realize he was waaaaayyyy beyond that stage, too. Well, obviously he'd never thought of himself as a kid. No, not since he was eleven. After that, his maturity went upwards--well, some of his family members says it plummeted, and the only difference was that he understood the world better, but, oh well. Dean just couldn't figure out how time had gone by so fast. Sudden Dean was nearly eighteen. He was a senior. And then came the most confusing realization of all. 

"I'm almost done," Dean blurted out to no one. The moment Dean realized there wasn't anyone to actually share his feelings with, he shook his head and walked to the side of his room to go through his suit case. 

Sure, Mary and John Winchester, Dean and Sam's parents, had gotten Dean a dresser, but Dean felt severely uncomfortable with it. For as long as he could remember, his parents had taken him and his baby brother on the road, just travelling constantly for their jobs. Dean hadn't ever completely unpacked his belongings when they rented out temporary apartments. But now? Getting a house in the middle of Kansas? Call him crazy, but Dean was completely terrified of the idea of just 'moving on.' How could he let go of more than seventeen years of nonstop movement across the whole United States? And now suddenly his parents were saying "okay, boys, we're going to Kansas! Now, I know you've never been there before in our long spree, but, oh, look! We're moving into a slightly-permanent house! For more than a full year!" 

Dean shook off his uncertain feelings about the whole situation as he heard Sam refusing to wake up completely. He threw on a new pair of jeans, threw on a t-shirt, and then moved to the dresser. If there was one thing Dean had done, it was put the necklace Sammy had given him on Christmas Eve when Sam was six onto that dresser. It had become a ritual for Dean. If there was ever a day when he fell asleep in the Impala, the family car that Dean loved, Dean just kept on the necklace and never let it go. He knew he'd never let the stupid thing go. Even if Sam had bought it at the gift shop of the Musuem of Natural History in New York for a buck-fifty. 

There was a knock on Dean's door, and Dean was snapped back into reality. He didn't even need to hear the voice of Mary Winchester to know it was her. "Yeah, Mom, coming!" he said, apaprently surprising her and making her laugh. "'Firsy day of school,' whoop-di-doo!" he teased at her. He opened the door to his room to find her with her hands on her hips. Her blonde hair was down below her shoulders, wavey and beautiful. She had kind, gentle eyes that made Dean feel happy and at home, even if Dean didn't exact have a real home. Until now, apparently. 

"You know," Mary said. "You don't have to have that whole I'm-a-bad-boy thing going on when you're with me." She gave him a cross look, like she wasn't giving him an option. 

Dean nearly rolled his eyes, but he caught himself, not wanting her to tease him mercilessly like she always did when he did something like those. "I don't know what you're talkin' about, Mom." 

Mary smiled. "Yeah, right. Go wake up your brother." She touched Dean's shoulder tenderly, and added, "Happy first day of twelfth grade, by the way, honey!" And with that she went to the kitchen. 

Dean smiled a bit and then opened Sam's door without even bothering to knock. He could tell Sam was still on that I'm-awake-but-I'm-soooooo-not moment, the kind you always felt when you had to wake up early, or when you just didn't want to. In Sam's case, it definitely wasn't that he didn't 'want' to. In fact, Dean was pretty sure the kid had been jumping from wall to wall for the whole two months after their parents announced a semi-permanent location. No, the kid was just as sick as a dog. 

Dean sat down at the edge of Sam's bed. He heard Sam murmur something groggily, something along the lines of "whaaaaaa yourrrrr aw.." 

Then, finally, Sam started to open his eyes. "Wh..." he shook his head, sitting up. "You're awake?" he asked, his voice weak and scratchy. Sam cleared his throat and gulped his own saliva, trying to make his throat less dry. "I mean, you're awake? What time is it? Why did you--" He froze, turning to the alarm that was going off, a look of pure joy on his face. "Oh, my God, Dean! I made it! I'm a high schooler--" 

"Not so fast, Sammy," Dean laughed. Jeez, he hadn't even needed to say anything to kid before he'd gotten all ralled up. "Look, you don't exactly... Listen, to put it simply, Sam you look like Hell." 

Sam scowled, pushing the blankets off of him. "How could you know what Hell looks like?" he dared. 

"You have nooooooo idea how much trouble I've gotten into every time Mom finds out I've been out with a girl, do you? 'Cause, I mean, I don't blame you. I'm just havin' fuuuunnnn--" 

"Dean, you're so disgusting," Sam winced. "God--I don't need that picture in my head on my first day of the ninth grade! Dean!" 

Dean elbowed his brother playfully. "Hey, man up, Winchester," he said, using the same words their Dad had told him on his first day of high school. Then, he added in his own words. "Besides, if you're half the guy I am, you'll have plenty of girls runnin' after you, no problem." 

"Dean, can you get out of my room?" 

Dean looked up at the ceiling. "Then again, I'm not sure if you're the type to have a girlfriend, or just a--" 

"Dean, get out of my room." 

Dean was laughing now. "Aw, but Sammy, it's your first day," he teased. "Don't you want to bond? C'mon, I mean--" 

Sam groaned. "Dean, you're doing that thing again. The 'I'll-make-fun-of-Sam-just-'cuz' thing." 

"Man, I'm sort of hoping you're not a total ladies-man, 'cause then I could totally mess with you, and then--" 

"Nice to know you care," Sam deadpanned. "Now seriously, get out, I need to get dressed--and make one joke about a girl being in here one day, and I will massacre you." 

Dean's jaw dropped in mock surprise. "How'd you know I was about to--" 

"Dean!" 

"Ugh, fine, buzzkill." He sulked out of the bedroom, but he still had a cocky grin on his face from messing with his brother. He went into the living room of the house, which still had a few boxes laying around. Dean found his Dad, John, trying to read something on a computer intently. The moment he saw Dean, however, John relaxed completely. 

"Oh, thank God, I can't figure out how to--" 

"I'll go check it out," Dean said, smirking. He didn't even exchange a second questioning look from his Dad, he just knew what the conversation was about to be about before even talking about it. It happened almost on a daily basis at this point. 

Dean walked out to the porch and skipped happily to the driveway. If there was one good thing about the Winchester family moving into a house, it had to be the driveway. The driveway that had the family car on it, the one that Dean took exteme care of. And that was even in comparison to his Dad, who had bought it only God knows how long ago to impress his Mom when they were in high school, back when he was starting to get her attention. 

"Okay, Baby," Dean said, tossing his jacket onto the grass nonchalantly. He didn't care if people were around him usually, it wasn't like he was in a garage taking his shirt off (not that it ever seemed to bother people--most girls!--when that event did occur), but he didn't exactly feel all too comfortable on working on his--well, the family car out in the open for everyone to see. The Impala was too precious to be worked on in this new neighborhood, the one that could become familiar soon, but then again might not. 

"What's the matter," Dean asked. He brushed the hood of the car gently. "Somethin' bad happen to you?" He lifted the hood and took a peer inside. He sighed, searching for the problems or kinks. He tried to go over every single thing he had learned over the years, at the auto shop of their family friend Bobby Singer's, who the Winchester boys usually just called 'uncle Bobby.' Even though Bobby had no relation to the family whatsoever. He was just the most reliable person Dean and Sam had even gotten to meet, and as years went by, they always came whenever they had problems or confusions, always to Bobby's. Now that place was their home. Lawrence, Kansas? It seemed a little off, being in such a different atmosphere. 

Dean gnawed at his lip. "C'mon, Baby, just tell me what's botherin' you..." 

Suddenly a voice next to him nearly made Dean jump out of his own skin. A voice that was obviously confused, shy, but strangely deep had said, "You talk to your car?" 

Dean had turned to see a boy his age, with wide, innocent blue eyes staring at him in concern, probably thinking Dean needed to be put into a strait-jacket. Dean didn't blame him. Most people had this reaction. 

And, usually Dean told them to go screw themselves and let him work. But this time Dean realized the boy in front of him wasn't a 'usually' case, and the only reason he got that vibe was for the obvious reasons. One, the boy had black, unkept hair that made him look like a lovesick puppy. Two, the boy was wearing strangely adult-ish clothes, for a seventeen-year-old. He wore a tan, strange-looking trench coat to cover himself from the early-September breeze. And, three, the biggest non-usual of all, Dean was pretty sure he spotted a necklace with a cross for some religion around the boy's neck. Obivously, the kid was from a religious family who wouldn't take too well to him saying 'go screw yourself and leave me alone with my beloved car.' 

So, Dean just smiled wide, trying to be friendly for once. He pet the rim of the car and looked down at it. "Aw, honey, he didn't mean that," he said sarcastically. "You're not a 'car,' you're a super-model, yeeesss you are, yeeessss you are!" Dean turned to see the boy relaxing a little, smiling bleakly, apparently realizing Dean wasn't insane, just extremely careful about his car--the family car (damn it!!!!!!). 

Dean laughed and leaned against the hood of the car, looking at the boy. He nodded at him. "Dean Winchester," he said. 

The boy looked around, apparently confused at what he was nodding at. "Um... I'm..." He looked down at his feet. He said soemthing quietly. 

"Huh?" Dean asked, leaning over. The boy said something quiet again, so Dean took a step closer. "Man, I can't hear you. What're you sayin'?" 

The boy looked up at Dean, a scared look in his eyes. "C-Castiel Novak," Dean finally heard. "M-my name is Castiel Novak." 

Dean smirked. "Castiel? What kinda name is that?" He paused, realizing the look of hopefulness fall from the boy's face. "I mean, it must get you into some Hell in school," Dean blurted out swiftly. He didn't want to scare of the kid totally, but the guy was going to find out sooner or later that Dean wasn't the kind of person people like Castiel would want to hang with. "Why don't you just change it?" Dean asked. 

Castiel stared at Dean, his eyes wide with never-ending fear. He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his trench coat and looked down at his feet again. "Um, my brother Gabriel calls me Cassy..." 

Dean stared at Castiel, seeing how uncomfortable he was. "Nah, you don't seem to like it," Dean said, making him want to slap himself. He needed to stop being nice to the kid, or bad things would happen and the kid might think Dean was going to be his friend. But Dean didn't end up befriending kids like Castiel. Ever. "How about... Cas? C-A-S, not C-A-S-S, so you're not a girl?" 

Castiel stared at Dean. Suddenly, his expression brightened a bit. "Yes, I like that." 

Dean couldn't get over how hilariously low Cas's voice was. "Man, you sound like Darth Vader," Dean teased with a whacky grin. Cas just stared at him blankly. Dean stared back. "Like... Star Wars," Dean said. 

"I don't understand that reference," Cas said bleakly. 

Dean's eyes widened. "Man, I gotta introduce you to the classics. 'Cause being a guy and not seeing Star Wars? Dude, it's pitiful. What did you do for fun as a kid, if not playing with Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader action figures?" 

Cas shrugged. "I read." 

Dean blinked at him. "And?" 

"And... I talk to my brothers?" 

Dean stared at Cas. "You read, and you talk to your brothers?" he retorted. "What kind of a boring life is that?" 

"I... I go to school as well." 

"I go to school as well,'" Dean mimicked. "Seriously, you're gonna have to stop with the whole proper-grammar thing if you wanna be friends." Dean stopped. Damn it, Dean! he shouted at himself. 

Cas blinked at him, wide-eyed. "F-friends?" he asked, looking beyond confused. 

See? Dean said to himself. hating the idea already-- 

"I've never really had a friend," Cas said suddenly, making Dean's mind go blank. 

In perfect timing, Sam walked outside of the house to find them. "Hey, Dean," Sam said, holding two water bottles. "Mom said that you need to get your backpack, and Dad said you could drive--oh, hi!" Sam had started smiling wide at Cas, who looked extemely perplexed. 

"Uh, um, I..." Cas's forehead creased with uncertainty. "Hi?" 

Sam smiled. "I'm Sam!" 

"I'm Casti--" 

"This is Cas," Dean said. Cas looked at Dean and Dean gave him a fake salute. 

"See?" Sam said to Dean. "Told you the whole high school thing wouldn't be hard! You already made a new friend." 

Dean smirked. "Sounds more like your friend," he teased Sam. "He likes to read." 

Sam perked up and looked at Cas. "Have you ever read--" 

"But he's never seen Star Wars." 

"--WHAT?"


	2. The Novaks

Cas didn't know what was going on until much after he was in the school building. His morning had started out perfectly normal, besides knowing that the house where his brothers had lived in was occupied by a new family. Their mailbox now read 'Winchesters,' which made Cas feel uncomfortable. Gabriel, Luke and Michael wouldn't ever allow that in their right minds, to have their last name printed on a mailbox. 

"This world is dangerous, and it's hazardous to put yourself out there like that," Michael always insisted. "You're an idiot if you think otherwise!" 

Cas woke up in his bedroom, the book 'The Crucible' hidden underneath the covers of his bed. If Uncle Zach came in to find that book, he'd take it away and tell Cas for the millionth time that literature like 'that' wasn't 'right.' But Zach never gave Cas a chance to explain what the books were about, and it just made him angry that he never got listened to... 

Eventually, when Cas turned thirteen, he'd snapped like a twig. He went to the school library during the school day, knowing his brothers might find him and tell Zach. But it was so worth it! Cas read as many books as he could about regular teenagers, and some of the books even had some... unwanted moments that Cas was positive the librarians didn't know about. Years went by, and Cas kept going to the school library every single day. Eventually, the librarians even started calling him by his first name, becoming his friends. 

But, suddenly, this oh-so great thing made Cas's life a living Hell. Some of the kids who went to Cas's school had started teasing him about being a 'nerd,' and a 'geek' more often than usual, but it was liveable. Usually they just said stupid stuff, like 'I bet this test was easy for you, Castiel! Man, you're such a smarty!' And Cas would just shrug at them and say "I'm not that smart." 

But as Cas started reading more and more, and his grade in English went up and up, the kids in his classes teased him day-to-day, instead of every other month. They made him uncomfortable, and things only got even worse when some new kid who had a very bad mouth moved to the Lawrence district and decided it was okay to make Cas feel like his whole life was a roller coaster and every time he went to school, the coaster was going down and down and down and never coming back up to an equal point, never getting better, never. 

Cas suddenly heard his twin brother humming from above him on their bunk bed. "Jimmy?" Cas asked quietly. "You awake?" 

"Yes, Castiel," Jimmy said. "I'm awake." 

Cas rubbed his eyes. "School," he said to his brother. 

"School," Jimmy agreed. 

"People," Cas added. 

"People," Jimmy agreed. 

Cas smiled to himself. He and Jimmy did that something, just say one word to sum up what they're thinking. Suddenly, a certain person came up in Cas's head who made Cas want to tease Jimmy a little. "Amelia Clairson." 

Jimmy made a muffled sound against his pillow. Then, he lifted up his face and said slowly, "Amelia... Clairson..." 

Cas could just see the smile on Jimmy's face. It wasn't hard, considering they had the same exact face. It made him laugh, too, thinking about the fact that Jimmy had a girlfriend. 

"First names," Cas added. 

"Never telling," Jimmy insisted, breaking their pattern to get a point across. 

"Jegudiel Novak," Cas said, smiling at how much Jimmy hated his actual name. 

"Jimmy Novak." 

"Jegudiel." 

"Jimmy." 

"Jegudiel." 

"Jimmy!" 

"Jegudieeeelllll!" 

"Castiel, you are starting to get on my nerves," Jimmy told his brother plainly. 

Cas smiled. "I have a feeling that all started when I said 'Amelia Clairson'--" 

"Cassy!" Jimmy cried, saying the one nickname Cas had, yet loathed completely. 

Cas buried his face into his pillow. "School," he said again, quiet now. 

"Sorry, Castiel," Jimmy sighed. "I didn't mean--" 

"School..." Cas said again, not wanting to talk about how their brothers teased Cas with that name, too. 

Jimmy walked down the ladder to the floor and looked at Cas. "First day of school," he agreed with a slight smile. He gestured to Cas. "Come on, Castiel, let's get ready for school." 

There was a knock on the door, and Jimmy turned. "C'mon in," he said politely. 

It was Anna, Cas and Jimmy's twenty-year-old sister. Cas loved Anna, but Jimmy and Anna had always been closer than he was to her. That was alright with Cas; at least he had Jimmy, who he spent practically every single moment with... until they had to go to school, where Cas had to see the people who made him want to just run away from his whole life. 

"Hiya, boys," Anna said with a smirk. "Ready?" She leaned against the door and sighed, closing her eyes to savor the moment, which made Jimmy and Cas look at each other confusedly. "Ah, I remember my first day of senior year. You two are so lucky, you know? Having each other to be with as you grow up?" Anna walked over to them and put her arms out. "I'm so proud of my boys!" 

Jimmy and Cas looked at each other. "Uh, Anna," Jimmy said. "We are so not hugging you." 

Anna made a pout-face and dropped her arms to her side. Anna had always been a sarcastic kind of rebel in the Novak family. She had bright red hair, which she'd gotten yelled at for dying at a high school party where kids were apparently drinking. To defend herself, Anna only replied, "Hey, at least I'm not uptight like all of you. Sometimes it's okay to pull a little rebellion, you know what I mean? I'm not a kid anymore. I need to understand what life is. Not just this life." 

Cas didn't understand what Anna was talking about. Not just 'this' life? What was 'this' life, anyway, compared to the others? He didn't like the idea of his sister becoming a loud, rebellious almost-alcoholic, but Jimmy, Cas, Gabriel and a few others of his brothers knew that Anna drank sometimes. Gabriel, their brother who was a total trickster, said "I'm down with it. Can I have some?" To which Anna automatically yelled, "I'm not giving beer to a fourteen-year-old." Cas had a feeling Gabriel had grumbled, "Not like I haven't had it before..." 

Cas didn't understand what Anna at all past that point. Drinking? Seriously? Why would she have to do that? And, also, why was Jimmy suddenly trusting Anna? Sure, he had a girlfriend, so he was starting to act a little differently than the Novaks would want him to, but... It made Cas wonder if Jimmy was going to end up like Anna. Drinking, with a full-on rebellion, and leaving Cas alone. Forever. 

"You two are such introverts," Anna snapped. "But you cannot escape your big sis!" She jumped over to the bed, where Cas was still there, and practically attacked him with a hug. 

"Ah!" Cas cried, trying to give Anna a shove. "Whoa, Anna, what--Ahhhh, stop it, stop it!" Cas was partly giggling while trying to get Anna off of him. She'd started to tickle him, which didn't help his situation. 

Jimmy started laughing. "Anna, we gotta get ready for school!" 

Anna laughed and threw her arms around Cas, making him smile a little. "I love you, Castiel," she said quietly. "You're my brother, and I am always here for you." She pulled away from him and added even quieter, "And if people are messing with you again, you can tell me." 

The smile automatically left Cas's face. "What?" was all he could ask. 

Jimmy looked a little confused, but then their Uncle Zach shouted, "Kids! Time for breakfast!" 

Anna finally climbed off of Cas's bed, leaving Jimmy with a smirk and Cas with a deep frown. Jimmy put his hand out to Cas and helped his brother out of the bed. They both changed into their clothes; Jimmy wearing a t-shirt, jeans, and a pull-over sweater. Cas wore a shirt that usually went with a suit, since it made him feel more comfortable, and put on his small tie, wearing pants that matched, too. After the boys had changed, they walked out to the living room 

"Hey, Cassy," Cas's and Jimmy's older brother Michael said. "Hey, Jimmy." 

"Hello, Michael," the two both replied in unison. The smiled at each other, and Michael rolled his eyes. Every single time they said hello to Michael in the morning they did that. Not anyone else. Just when they said hi to Michael. 

Michael sat down at his chair in the dining room and calmly glanced over at his other brother, Gabriel, who was drawing with Sharpie on his napkid. "Gabriel, stop that." 

Gabriel held up the napkin a moment later. "Wha? Jealous of my artistic skills, bro?" He'd been doodling gigantic bear holding a bag of Skittles. 

"Do not call me 'bro,'" Michael winced. "Don't call anybody 'bro,' Gabriel. It is terrible." 

Gabriel shrugged and tossed down the napkin. He leaned back against his chair and frowned. "So," he said. "I guess we're doing this all over again." 

Just then, Luke came into the room. Everyoen turned to see Luke, who always had this deep, deep look of pure hatred on his face. His name was, indeed, Luke, but some people called him Lucifer to get on his nerves, since he was a worse rule-breaker than Anna had ever been. He didn't even try in school, while Anna had done perfectly with flying colors! 

"Happy first day!" Gabriel said brightly. He was probably the only one out of the entire family who still treated Luke like he hadn't changed as he grew up, like he was still one of his favorite people. Luke was the youngest out of the entire family at fourteen, and Gabriel was sixteen, but those two were usually closer than anyone got to Luke. Probably because they were both rule-breakers, to a certain extent. 

"Go screw yourself." Luke walked into the bathroom without another word. 

Gabriel shrugged. "Might be a little hard," he called out. "I don't have--" 

Luke opened the door to the bathroom and was actually smiling. "Shut up, Gabe," he rolled his eyes. He slammed the door just was Uncle Zach was walking down the hallway, making Zach scream at the door for a full five minutes. Then, Zach finally got the hint that Luke wasn't changing his mind, so he went into the kitchen. 

"I'll say grace," Michael said. He sat forward, as did the others. "Dear, God, please bless..." 

 

Cas was going outside to get the bus when it all happened, the confusing part of his day. He'd gone out before Jimmy, or any of his brothers had. So he was the first to see one of their new neighbors. 

"You talk to your car?" Cas had blurted out when he saw the boy, Dean Winchester, calling the car 'Baby,' and saying, 'Honey, show me what wrong!' 

Then Dean had said that whole thing about being friends, and Cas completely freaked out. It wasn't until Anna walked outside, her luggage in tow, did anyone else but Cas notice Dean and Sam. 

"Oh!" Anna said, looking over. She put down her luggage. Anna was supposed to be heading out to go to college, NYU. Semester started a day after Cas's school did, which Cas was a little thankful for. "Who're you?" She had a bit of daring in her voice, like she expected Dean and Sam were like the other kids, ready to tease Cas. 

"I'm Dean," said the older Winchester brother. He shut the hood of his car and wiped a little bit of grease from his hand onto his jeans. He put his hand out to Anna. "Who might you be?" he asked with a sudden slyness. 

Anna raised an eyebrow, her face turning a little pink. It earned Sam, Dean's brother who was Luke's age, to moan from annoyance. "Dean, seriously? The first girl you meet?" 

Dean scowled at Sam. "Yeah, yeah, shut up. I gotta fix the car, then we're headed off." He paused and looked at Cas. "You gotta ride? We could--" 

"Oh, I take the bus," Cas said, his voice dreadfully quiet. 

Dean shrugged. "Well, yeah, but... Kids on the bus're usually pains in the ass, you know what I mean?" He rolled his eyes. "Come on, I'm giving you a chance to avoid assholes in life. Don't leave me hanging?" He smiled at Cas. 

"Uhhhh, I think--" 

"Sure," Anna said, making Cas frown at her. "Go. It's not like you're getting to school late, right? I'll tell Jimmy you got a ride, and I bet Uncle Zach would be fine." 

Cas made a face. "But, you're about to leave," he insisted. "I can't just--" 

Anna put her arms out. "Gimme a hug, and I think I'll last college with that." 

Cas didn't smile, but he nodded and hugged his sister. "Bye, Anna," Cas said, for the last time. She gave him a smile, then nodded at Dean, who returned it and added a wink. It made Anna turn pink again. 

"You're such a flirt," Sam said, opening the car door and plopping inside. He shut the door quickly with a thud. 

"Whoa, Sammy!" Dean shouted. "Don't you dare slam that door, 'cause if you break my Baby--" 

"Yeah, yeah, just fix the car already so we can go, will you?" Sam said sarcastically. He opened the car door again, realizing Cas was just standing there. "C'mon, Cas!" 

Cas looked back, a concerned look on his face. Maybe he shouldn't... Cas eventually shrugged. It couldn't hurt. "Okay. Thank you." He got into the car. 

About twenty minutes later, Dean went to the passenger seat in the front. "Dad said he'll be out in a minute." He turned to Cas and smiled. "Ready, Cas?" 

"Um, yes, thank you," Cas said. "But you know that you don't have to--" 

"Come on, Cas," Sam interrupted. "How often is it that Dean makes a friend that isn't a girl within his first minute of being outside? Usually it's in the summer when he's fixing his car, when he's not wearing--" 

"Thank you, Sam, for that marvellous bit of info," Dean growled. "Which I didn't know you knew in the first place." 

Sam grinned wickedly. "You learn a lot when you find a girl holding your brother's shirt about halfway across town, being forced to follow Mom and Dad to somewhere you don't want to go. Sometimes it has its perks, being dragged with em everywhere!" 

Dean winced. "Damn it, Sam, are we going to do this now? Mom and Dad--" 

Cas was suddenly laughing, and the two boys looked at him in shock. "What's so funny?" 

Cas smiled. "You remind me of my brothers," he said automatically, not sure of why he even said it. "It's weird." 

"Which brothers?" Dean asked. "Good way or bad way?" 

"Good way," Cas said. "And you're like Michael and Luke." 

Dean shrugged. "Well... Wait, Michael, Luke, Castiel? What kind of names do you guys have?" 

Cas replied, "Most of my family is named after angels. Anna, whom you've just been acquainted with, is--" 

"Okay, boys!" the car door opened and John Winchester plopped into the front seat. He turned to face his sons. "Ready to go to school?" He paused, doing a head-count. "I... I'm pretty sure I'd remember having three sons, sorry--who are you?" he asked, suddenly confused beyond belief. 

"I am..." He glanced at Dean, who winked. "I am Cas," Cas finally said. "My name is Cas." 

John shrugged. "Oh. Okay?" He looked at Dean, who smirked at him in a knowing way. Just go with it. "Well, off we go!"


	3. First Day Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which both Dean and Sam realize just how crazy talking to girls can get.

"Alrighty, boys," John said as Dean, Sam and Cas started getting out of the car. "Great day at school, you hear?" 

"Yeah, Dad!" Sam and Dean said. They shut the doors behind them. John was about to drive away, but Cas knocked on the door. 

"Uh, yeah?" 

Cas opened the door and peeked his head inside. "Thank you for driving me, Mr. Winchester. Have a nice day." 

John blinked. This is Dean's friend? he wondered in shock. Sounds like Sam's. "Oh, uh, yeah, you too, Cas." 

Cas nodded and shut the door, walking into the school building. He hadn't expected to find Dean waiting for him at the front. "Oh, hi," Cas said. 

Dean laughed. "You thought I'd leave you?" he remarked. He put his hand to his chest, and then made a sound of mock sadness. "I am so hurt! How dare you think of me in such a way?" 

Cas managed a slight smile. "Most people kind of ignore me," he said awkwardly. "I mean..." 

Dean watched Cas closely. "Well, I'm not 'most people,'" he said, surprisingly Cas. "And, sorry, but whether or not you like it, I'm so not gonna ignore you." 

Cas smiled, the first real smile Dean had seen the boy give. "Oh. Thank you." 

Dean shrugged. He'd given up on trying to subtly tell the kid he wasn't the kind of friend Cas needed. All Dean had to do was not be a bad influence, or whatever people would think of him. Cas was obviously lonely, probably more than Dean was, and Dean had been moving around too much in his life to make actual friends. Maybe Dean wouldn't mess things up for once. "What're friends for?" 

"Um, do you want me to help you with finding your classes?" Cas suggested lamely. "I know most of the building, I think." 

Dean paused, turning to see Sam holding his new schedule and scurrying around, trying to look at room numbers. "Uh, sure," he shrugged. "Sammy'll be fine, I think..." He trailed off, seeing a pretty-looking girl suddenly walk up to Sam and say something. She smiled at him gently and took his schedule from him, while Sam's eyes were wide with confusion. "Yeeeaaahhh, he'll be fine," Dean dismissed. He turned to Cas. "Lead the way, Cas!" He held out his schedule. 

 

Cas had realized that he and Dean had fourth-period studyhall in the same room, and also eighth-period Italian. He told Dean this just before he told Dean they were standing in front of Dean's new first-period class. 

"Really?" Dean asked. "Awesome!" 

Cas cocked his head to the side. "Um, yes." He blinked for a moment. Jimmy was in the same studyhall. "Speaking of fourth-period, there's something you might--" 

The warning bell rang and Dean poked Cas. "Go to your class," he nodded. "Tell me fourth, okay?" 

I have a feeling you'll have found out by then, Cas thought nervously. "Um, okay." He scurried away, trying to make his way down the hall and find his own class.  
Meanwhile, Dean went into his English class with low hopefulness. He'd always been terrible at English, and he had a bad feeling he wouldn't miraculously improve out of the blue. 

Dean scanned the room, seeing most kids sitting at desks already. He walked to a free seat, but the boy from the seat next to the one he'd almost sat at gave him a look saying, Don't you dare. 

Dean rolled his eyes. "Your loss," he retorted, making the boy raise an eyebrow. Apparently he wasn't used to people answering him back. 

Dean looked around and put his hands in his pockets, wondering where he was supposed to go. He found an empty seat next to a blonde girl, who looked small and not at all intimidating. Their eyes met and he gave a wink. She just stared at him, a pen in her hand. 

Boy, was he wrong about the not-at-all-intimidating thing. 

"Excuse me," the girl said harshly, making Dean jump. He'd planned on smiling at her, teasing her a little, and talking her into letting him stay. "I don't know who you think you are, but if you dare wink at me again, I'm going to shove this pen down your throat." 

"Uhhh--" Dean's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She was telling him off? That never happened! 

"I may be a 'girl,'" she continued. "But I am a human being. Treat me with respect, or don't bother me at all. Who are you, anyway? Don't you know who I am? I've told you and your little buddies to back off! Why don't you leave me the Hell alone? Why'd you even try--" 

"I--I just moved here," Dean blurted out, getting a little tired of her making him feel like a jerk. 

The girl paused. "Oh. Oh." She suddenly relaxed, and a smile appeared on her face. She put out a hand. "I'm Jo Harvelle!" 

Dean's mouth hung open in shock. "Uh, a-are you bipolar?" he asked, not able to help it. 

The girl, Jo, raised an eyebrow. Dean looked at her up and down. He didn't even understand what he'd been thinking, trying to talk to her at all. She was obviously not like most girls. Sure, she was small, and blonde, and pretty, but she was wearing black boots, dark jeans, a white top, and a jacket. She had had this look on her face, like she was daring people to mess with her, and Dean had a bad feeling that if someone got on her nerves, the saw that side of her. But then, after he said he was new, she'd softened, and Dean was extremely confused to find her smiling. 

"Um, no," Jo said. "It's just... Most guys around here have this weird 'bet' or something, that they could..." She made a face. "I didn't know you were new around here. I apologize." She kept her hand out. "Now, are you gonna shake my hand or not?" 

Dean shrugged. "M'kay," he said. He took her hand and shook it. "Dean Winchester." They both nodded and he stopped. "What did you mean 'don't you know who I am?'" 

Jo stopped. "Oh. My Mom, she runs a bar. I'm kind of, like, a 'toughie,' I think most people would put it. It's always been just me and my Mom, and she thinks it made me tougher than most people." 

Dean nodded. "Nice." 

Jo shrugged. "It's a blessing and a curse." 

Dean smiled. "I move around a lot with my parents, and my little brother." 

"You have a brother?" Jo asked. 

"Yeah," Dean said. "Sammy. Well, Sam. He'd kill me if he heard me call him 'Sammy.' He's a ninth grader this year." 

Jo smiled. "You look proud of him," she said. "You're close, I'm guessing?" 

Dean shrugged. "Like I said, our parents moved around a lot. We couldn't really make a lot of friends, so we just ended up buds. Besides, our parents had full days when they're not in the apartment, so I had to..." He stopped, realizing Jo was looking at him funny. Why am I telling her any of this? She's laughing at me. Dean shook his head squared his shoulders. "Whatever. Doesn't matter." 

"Nah, I think it's nice," Jo insisted. "Most guys like you don't have soft sides like that." 

Dean huffed. "I do not have a soft side." 

"You nearly admitted to me that you practically raised your brother. Don't deny that." 

Dean's jaw clenched. "I do not have a soft side," he repeated. 

Jo grinned. "Pity. I think I like guys with that kind of a thing." She opened her pen again, and started tapping it against to desk, leaving Dean in confusion. 

Seriously, this girl is going to drive me nuts, Dean thought. Just then, the final bell rang, and Dean's new English teacher took center-stage. 

"Hello, I am Mr. Henrikson, and I will be your twelfth grade English teacher..." 

Dean sighed. This is going to be a long year. 

 

Sam's head was pounding. How did he get into this situation? How? How?!?!?!?!?! 

He'd been looking around, searching for someone to talk to about his classes. Then, a cute girl had walked up to him and said, "Hi! I'm Jessica. You look a little lost. Need some help?" 

Sam felt a little blown away by how she'd just asked him if he needed help so plainly, but he just shrugged and handed over his schedule. He kept his hands around his book, which Jessica glanced at. She looked at his schedule. "Awesome," she said suddenly. "You have three classes that're with me in em!" 

Sam felt a little nervous, suddenly. "Oh?" he asked. He suddenly looked back to where Dean and Cas were supposed to be, but he was shocked to see Dean and Cas leaving. They were leaving him. With a girl. Sam's fists clenched, just picturing the smug look on Dean's face. I am going to kill him. 

"Your first-period class is with me," Jessica said. She looked over to where Sam was looking. "Oh, do you know them?" she asked. "That's that shy kid, right? He's a twelfth grader, I think. He's really nice when you start talking to him, I think." 

Sam looked at Jessica. He felt totally nervous, since she wasn't just a girl. She was pretty girl. Her hair was blonde, and she had a gentle, welcoming smile. She wore a red t-shirt, she held a pink sweater, and she had blue jeans on. Her blackpack was pink and black, with a big print of the Eiffel Tower on it. 

He nodded. "Cas is cool," he said. He bit his lip. How do you talk to girls? Damn it, Dean, why did you have to leave? 

Jessica blinked at Sam. "Well, um... are you gonna tell me your name?" 

Sam jumped. "Oh! Right, yeah, I'm, um, I'm Sam. Sam Winchester." 

Jessica smiled. "I'm Jessica Moore. You can call me 'Jess.' My friends usually do." 

Friends? Sam felt a little queasy. The whole talking-to-girls thing was going easier than he'd planned, and knowing that was making him feel even more sick than he already was. "Oh. Hi, Jess." 

Jess smiled warmly. Just then, the warning bell for first-period rang and she jumped. "Oh, gosh, we're about to be late!" She grabbed Sam's hand. "Come on, I am soooooooo not gonna be late! I want to go to law school one day!" 

Sam felt like he was about to explode in his head. "You want to be a lawyer, too?" He was trying to stop thinking about how Jess was holding his hand. 

"Yeah--wait, too?" Jess grinned. "Oh--my--god! Now it's final, we are so going to be buds." 

"Huh?" Sam asked, as Jess towed him through the hallway, getting confused glances at everyone. Who the heck is that kid holding the pretty girl's hand? 

When Jess finally stopped running, the bell had just rung again. She stepped into the classroom and led Sam inside. "Okay," she said. She held up the schedule with her left hand. "You have Mr. Hughes for English fifth-period. I do, too. Then we both have studyhall in Mr. Henrikson's room, sixth period. I'll take you there. Then, eighth-period, we--" 

"Hey, Jess," a girl said, walking up to Jess. She froze, suddenly staring at Jess. Who was still holding Sam's hand. 

Sam automatically pulled his hand back, and Jess did the same, the two of them going bright red in the face. Sam stiffened. God, I need advice on how to talk to girls with Dean... 

Jess looked at the girl who was staring at Sam with a know-it-all smirk. "H-hi, Ruby," Jess said awkwardly. She looked at Sam. "Sam, this is Ruby, my best friend. Ruby, this is Sam Winchester." 

Ruby smiled at Sam, looking at him with eyes that seemed to stare into his soul, making him feel extremely uncomfortable. Her hair was long, and black, and wavy. She had a black leather jacket on, black jeans, and looked like the kind of girl Dean would talk to, if she were his age. But she was around Sam's age, like Jess, and she was giving him this smirk that made him feel like he really wanted to get out of there. 

Then, Ruby said, "Sooooo, you got a boyfriend now?" 

"I-I'm gonna go find a seat," Sam rushed out. He looked at Jess, trying not to look like a total wimp. "I'll see ya later, Jess." He sat down at the first seat he could find. He looked up at Jess, and she looked like she was about to go sit next to him, and he felt a twinge of hope. But then Ruby grabbed Jess's arm, shrugged, and said something, making Jess sigh and follow her to the other side of the room. 

Sam felt his stomach lurch. "I feel sick," he mumbled. He leaned his head against his desk. 

Suddenly, a voice beside him said, "You look like crap." Sam looked up, and then turned to see a boy sitting down in the seat next to him. The boy looked a little uncomfortable, and looked around, as if people were going to say something to him. "I'm Luke." 

"S-Sam. Winchester." 

Luke nodded at him. "So, you got a thing for that Ruby girl, or something?" He shook his head before Sam could reply. "Don't. She's a total--" 

"I don't," Sam insisted. "I mean... I don't. Jess, uh, Ruby's friend? She showed me how to get here." 

A smirk appeared on Luke's face. "Jess Moore?" he asked. Sam nodded. "Ohhhh, so you and her--" 

"I just met her," Sam said. "No. No." 

"So you don't have a thing for her?" 

Sam blinked. "What? No! Don't be an idiot!" He gulped. "Why?" 

Luke gave Sam this know-it-all look, which reminded him of Ruby. "Jess's an honor-roll kid. Like, one of this really smart ones. She's best friends with Ruby, though, which kinda makes no sense. Ruby's like... she doesn't give a damn 'bout what people think of her. She just does whatever she wants." 

Sam nodded awkwardly. "Um, thanks for telling me?" 

Luke shook his head. "You don't get what I'm saying. Look, Ruby's a total... she's... Stay away from her. She's a bad person. Jess knows that, but she's one of those people who only sees the 'good' in people, even if there is none. In Ruby's case, there is none." 

"She seemed kind of nice," Sam tried. 

"You looked like you wanted to rip out your intestines rather than hang out with them," Luke said, tilting his head. "And you thought she was nice?" 

"I said kind of..." 

Luke smiled. "You're not that bad," he said, surprising himself. 

Just then, Ruby walked over. "So, Sam," she said. She had this funny smile on her face. 

Sam looked up at her. "Hi, Ruby." 

Ruby stopped and looked at Luke, who was glaring at her. "You got somethin' to say to me, freak?" she remarked at him. 

Luke snorted. Sam was suddenly very, very confused by the way Ruby and Luke were talking to each other. "Why don't you go back to your Barbie dolls with Jess and Maddison?" 

Ruby crossed her arms. "Why don't you go back to your corner with your best friend Lillith?" 

Luke looked uncomfortable by that one, but he didn't let Ruby know that. "Look, if you don't shut your mouth, I'll be glad to shut it for you."  
She glared venomously at him. "Oh, really?" she dared. "And what's Lucifer going to do about it?" 

Luke's fists clenched. "Call me that one more time," he said. "And I swear--" 

"Hey!" Sam interrupted them, getting both of their attention. "Would you both stop it? It's getting kind of annoying." He looekd at Ruby. "Go back to your friends if you're just going to antagonize Luke." He looked at Luke. "And don't let people annoy you if you can just tell them to go away. Don't threaten people." 

Ruby and Luke both stared at him. Sam suddenly felt very, very watched, and he realized a few people around them had heard him. Finally, Ruby shrugged. "Sure. Whatever. Later, Winchester." She walked back to her desk where Jess was reading a book. 

Luke looked at Sam. They both stared at each other for a while. Then, finally, Luke tilted his head with interest. "What did you say your name was, again?" 

"Sam Winchester." 

Luke nodded. "Okay, Sam Winchester. I think you're not that bad. Besides being shy and kind of awkward. At least you're not an introvert, or anything." 

"Gee, thanks?" 

Luke smiled. "And a jokester, too. I think we can be friends, or, uh..." He frowned at himself. "If you want to." 

Sam looked at Luke closely. Why did Ruby call him 'Lucifer'? He shrugged off the thought and put out a hand. "Sure. Friends." 

Luke shook his hand. "Friends." He and Sam both smiled, and then the class started.


	4. Problematic Girls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry! I ran into technical difficulties. But all is well now... I hope. :) The story was previously written by me and I was putting it onto here while I'm finishing it. I forgot to add two of my chapters and took out a chunk of what happened! (silly me)   
> Thank you for reading! Enjoy the story

Dean walked into the studyhall class to find Cas sitting at the front of the room. Dean sat down next to him, making Cas blink at him. "I'm not usually one to sit in the front of the class, but, oh, well," Dean said. He smiled at Cas, but paused. "Hey, you look different." Cas wasn't wearing his trench coat and suit and tie. He was wearing a sweater, jeans, and a confused look on his face. 

"Do I know you?" Cas asked, confusing Dean even more. 

Dean stared at Cas. "Dude, seriously?" He frowned. "Cas, what happened to the coat? Where'd you get the sweater from? Whatever. What were you going to tell me about this class?" 

"Cas?" not-Cas-but-Cas asked. "My name is Jimmy. I don't know what--" Fake-Cas paused. "Cas?" he asked, staring at Dean. "You said, Cas?" 

"Um, yes, that's your name--" 

"Oh!" Fake-Cas cried. "Nooooo, Castiel is my brother." 

Dean stared. "Uh, what?" 

"We're twins. Identical. I'm Jimmy Novak. You are talking about Castiel, right?" 

Dean just kept staring. "You're messing with me, right?" He laughed nervously. "Right, Cas?" 

Just then, someone tapped Dean's shoulder. It was Cas. Real-Cas, trench coat and all. "Um, hello, Dean." 

Dean blinked at Cas, then turned to Fake-Cas--Jimmy, whatever. Dean looked back at Cas. "I think I know what you were about to tell me about this class now." 

Cas managed a slight smile. "Yes," he agreed. He looked over at his brother. "Jimmy." 

"Cas?" Jimmy asked, tilting his head at the apparent new nickname. Cas just shrugged, and Jimmy returned it. "Suits you better than Cassy." He looked at Dean. "So, you're, what, friends with Castiel?" 

"Yup," Dean said. "I'm Cas's new neighbor, so I guess I'm your neighbor, too!" 

"Ohhh," Jimmy said. "The house Gabriel, Michael and Luke used to live in?" 

"Who?" Dean asked. 

Cas sat down at the seat in front of Jimmy, beside Dean. "Our brothers. Michael started college, so now Gabriel and Luke moved back in with us." 

"Much to their dismay," Jimmy added with a frown. "Gabe and Luke despise us." 

"I think Gabriel is alright," Cas said. "Luke is the troublemaker." 

"They still despise us." 

Cas and Jimmy looked at Dean, who was just staring. "I'm sorry," Dean said. "I'm still getting used to you having a doppleganger..." 

Cas shrugged. "Sorry. I was about to tell you, but..." 

Dean shrugged. "No big deal. It's in the past, right? So, how many siblings do you guys have? Any more sisters?" He grinned. "She was--um, never mind..." He had a bad feeling that calling Cas's and Jimmy's sister 'hot' right in front of them wasn't ideal. 

"No, just Anna. She and Michael are in their twenties. Then there is Uriel and Raphael, who are also in their twenties, as the oldest ones. Then there's us, we're seventeen. Then Gabriel, he's sixteen. We have a cousin, Bal, who's a little older than us. Then Luke, who's fourteen." 

"That's Sammy's age," Dean said. 

"Sammy?" Jimmy asked. 

"My little brother," Dean said. "He's a ninth grader this year. It's his first year of high school." 

"Same for Luke," Jimmy said. Dean was fairly surprised at how Jimmy could hold a conversation. For twins, Jimmy and Cas weren't exactly alike. Cas was awkward, and so was Jimmy, but Jimmy started his own conversations without being asked things. Cas was so much more shy. "I'm pretty sure most kids call him 'Lucifer,' 'cause they think he's heartless." 

"Jimmy, that wasn't very polite," Cas said automatically. 

Jimmy frowned. "You didn't let me finish." He looked at Dean. "If you ever call my brother 'Lucifer,' I will--" 

"Kill me, I know," Dean said, understanding the want to protect a brother all too well. "I get it. Completely. 'You hurt my brother, I murder you.' I totally get it." 

Jimmy smiled, then glanced at Cas. "I totally give you permission to be his friend." 

Dean laughed while Cas made a scowl at Jimmy. "Don't worry, Cas," Dean said. He leaned back against his desk. "Nobody can resist my powerful charms. Not even your bro." 

"Can you shut up?" a suddenly forceful voice asked. The three boys turned to see a girl writing something in pencil on a scantron. "Some of us actually have homework, or a test--" she gestured to her work. "--to do! Just 'cause you're lazy doesn't mean we all have to suffer." 

Dean snorted. "Uh, it's the first day of school." 

"It's not a school thing," the girl snapped at him. "Now shut up so I can concentrate." 

"I am sorry," Cas said. "We didn't mean to break your concentration." 

The girl looked up, obviously pissed now. "Are you trying to be sarcastic? Look, I'll move my seat--" 

Dean frowned. "Hey, he was being serious," he retorted. "Don't talk to him like that! What gives you the right to pick on someone like that 'cause they have a little trouble getting a point across." 

The girl stared at him. Dean just kept frowning at her, but now was trying to understand her. She didn't look like most girls. She looked strange. She was hot. Yes, that was it. She was hot, but she was obviously one of those extremely rare hot girls who didn't--as one of Dean's previous flings had called it--'flaunt it.' The girl was wearing a light pink hoodie, with the words 'ROADHOUSE--SERVIN' THE BEST!' on it. Her hair was dark black, and a little messy, unintentionally making her look nicer. She wore jeans, had a silver necklace around her neck, and also had a bead-bracelet. The necklace read, "Lisa," while the bracelet said, "BIG SIS." She looked like one of those girls who was innocent, but could do completely uninnocent things if she wanted to.

And, apparently, she was a bitch, too? Great. How many of those people are in this school?, Dean was aching to ask. 

"You're serious?" the girl asked Dean. 

"Dead serious," he replied. "Back off my friend." 

The girl scoffed. "Please," she said. "I know exactly what kind of a guy you are. You don't give a flying fudge about your friend." 

"You don't know anything about me," Dean told her. "You shouldn't judge people. Don't people learn that in, like, pre-K?" 

She let out an annoyed huff, and then shifted in her seat so she was facing him. "Listen to me. I know exactly what you are. You're one of those 'cool' guys who thinks he owns the world. Well, just because people actually care about something does not mean that you should just...just ignore it, or whatever it is idiots like you do." 

"'Idiots like me' are trying to tell you to back the Hell off of Cas," Dean growled. "Talk to my friend again, and--" 

"What?" the girl demanded. "Like I'd want to risk having to talk to you?" She rolled her eyes and looked over at Jimmy, who had been trying to say something the whole time, but hadn't been able to get a word in. "Nice friend ya got there, Jegudiel." 

"Jimmy," he automatically said. 

She winced. "Oh, right, sorry, Jimmy," she said, suddenly sincere. 

How many people in this school are bipolar, too? Dean wanted to shout. 

Dean turned. "Your name is Je..." 

Jimmy smacked his head against his desk and Cas smiled slightly. "His name is Jegudiel. After the angel." 

The girl looked over at Cas. "Oh, you must be the awesome twin," she said with a smile. "Sorry, I didn't really see it was you--what with this jerk's big head in the way," she gestured to Dean, and he gave her a sarcastic smile, I hate you too. "It's really nice to meet you... Cas?" 

Cas nodded. "It is nice to meet you, too." 

Jimmy sighed. "Castiel, this is Lisa. Amelia's best friend." 

"Who's Amelia?" Dean asked. 

Jimmy was about to reply, but Cas and Lisa both grinned and said, "Girlfriend!" 

Jimmy groaned and smacked his head against his desk once more. "Not you, too!" 

Cas and Lisa both smiled. Eventually, Lisa looked at Dean. "Look, I'm perfectly fine with you goofing off or whatever you do. But keep it quiet? Please?" She rolled her eyes. "And if I find out you're corrupting them--" she pointed at Cas and Jimmy, who raised their eyebrows. "--I will kill you. You got that, hot-shot?" 

Dean blinked at her. "Did you just call me--" 

"I'll take that as a yes. Now, leave me alone, or go screw yourself." She shifted in her seat, and then went back to her test. Pretending Cas, Jimmy and Dean didn't exist at all. 

"Well," Dean said turning. He made sure his voice was a little bit lower. "That was..." 

"Amelia has a very... strong-willed friend," Cas managed. 

Jimmy sighed. "Yeah... she's a good judge of character..." He smiled dreamily. 

Dean and Cas looked at each other, both thinking the same thing. Ew. Couples. 

"So," Dean said, looking between the two of them. "Have either of you ever seen Star Wars?" He recieved confused looks from the both of them, an obvious no. "Okay, it's settled. We have to have a movie-night this week to see that! Being a senior and having never seen Luke Skywalker--man, where is your childhood?" 

Jimmy and Cas blinked at him in confusion. Finally, Cas looked at Jimmy. "Dean seems to believe that the world revolves around Star Wars." 

Dean rolled his eyes. "Do you guys want to go or not?" 

"I don't think I can," Jimmy shrugged. "Maybe Castiel, though. If Uncle Zach allows him to." They all nodded. 

"Good," Dean said with a grin. "'Cause I cannot wait to show you how hot one of the girls are in..." 

Some things never change. 

 

"Hey, do you want to hang out this week?" Sam asked Luke nervously. It was eighth-period, and they were sitting together in the cafeteria. They were in the back of the room, by the doors leading to the courtyard. They were the only kids at the whole table, since the others had pretty much dispersed after they saw Luke coming over. 

Luke looked up at him, eyebrows raised. "Um, really?" Sam tilted his head in confusion. Luke shrugged. "I--I mean, sure!" He nodded. "Cool." 

Sam nodded awkwardly. "Cool," he agreed. 

"Cool," Luke said. 

"Cool," Sam said, smiling now. 

"Coooool," Luke laughed. 

"Cooooooooollllio--" 

"Oh, God, that draws the line!" Luke exclaimed. They both laughed. "No, but seriously," Luke teased. "Don't ever say 'coolio' again, Sam." 

Sam smirked. "What, I'm not good enough for 'coolio?'" 

"Don't ever say that again," a voice said right beside Sam and Luke. It was Ruby, who was smirking, and standing beside Jess, who looked uncomfortable. Ruby's hand was on Jess's arm, as if she'd actually dragged her over. 

Sam felt his face redden. "Oh, h-hi, Jess." 

Ruby snorted. "Well, fiiinnnneeee." She shoved Jess at her, who glared at her but sat down across from Sam and Luke. Ruby gave Jess a smirk. "Stay with your impolite boyfriend." She stuck her tongue at Jess. 

Jess stiffened. "Ruby, I told you, I was just showing him where the classes were--" 

"Riiiggghhhttt, 'cause he's 'new.'" Ruby rolled her eyes. She looked at Luke, giving him a look that said, Can you believe her? 

Luke scowled at Ruby, but looked at Sam and Jess with an all-knowing smirk. "Just showing him where classes are requires holding hands?" 

"Luke!" Sam shouted, his face growing in reddness. "Not helping!" 

Jess looked at Sam, smiled a little, and sighed. "Look, let's all start over." She put out her hand to Sam. "Hi. I'm Jess Moore." 

Sam nodded and shook her hand. "Sam Winchester. Nice to meet you." They both looked at Luke and Ruby expectantly. 

Luke snorted while Ruby shifted uncomfortably. "If you think I'm gonna hold her hand, I'm gonna drag you to Hell for being so stupid," Luke said harshly. He glared at Ruby. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm trying to eat, and you're kind of putting off my appetite." 

Ruby smiled ruefully. "Ha. Ha." She moved to sit next to her friend, away from Luke and across from Sam. She looked over at Sam. "So, how's the first day goin'?" 

"Pretty good, I think," Sam said. "But some guy was messing with me 'cause I'm a little short." 

Jess frowned. "Did you tell him to stop?" 

"Yeah," Sam said. "But..." 

"It was Gordon Walker," Luke said, as if it explained everything. 

Ruby and Jess nodded, sighing. "Ohhh... I'm sorry, Sam," Jess said. 

Sam shrugged. "He seems to have something against me." 

"Well, he's a idiot," Jess said automatically. "You're awesome." 

Sam blushed a bit and smiled. "Think so?" 

Jess turned a little red. She looked down at the table, suddenly shy. "I know so." They both smiled at each other. 

Ruby held up her hand, holding out only her index-finger and her thumb to make a gun gesture. She put it up to her mouth and moved her thumb. "Blergh." 

Luke actually laughed at that. "That I can agree with." 

"Don't help me," she said plainly. 

He rolled his eyes. "Trust me, I can't. What you need is a psychiatrist." They both scowled. 

Jess sighed. "You two are being difficult," she said. "Can you try getting along?" 

"Why?" Ruby retorted. "Cause Winchester is suddenly besties with him? Look, I know you like Sam, but--" 

"Please!" Jess cried, her face red again. "Stop that..." 

Ruby sighed reluctantly. "How do you expect me not to tease you? I'm your bestie." 

"Don't ever call me and Luke 'besties' ever again," Sam said slowly. 

Luke nodded. "Took the words right outta my mouth," he agreed. 

Just then, another girl walked over. She had light blonde hair with brown streaks, clear, green eyes, and a bright, happy smile. "Hi Sam! Hi Luke! Hi Ruby! Hi Jess! What's up? Look, I was just coming over to tell you that you guys all keep blushing and people are starting to make jokes about you. By 'you guys,' sorry, but it's most Sam and Jess. Actually, it's just Sam and Jess. They're really, really, really cute, dontcha think?" She looked at Luke and put her hand on his shoulder. "Poor you, you don't have a girlfriend. You and Ruby are cute, though, too! Maybe you're--" 

"Ugggggghhhhhhhhhhh!" Ruby yelped, exaggherating completely. "Shut up and go away, freak--" 

The girl's lip quivered. "I'm not a--" 

"Ruby, she was trying to be nice," Sam attempted. He looked up at the girl. "Thanks." He put his hand out. "I'm Sam. But... you seem to already know that." 

The girl smiled wide. "I'm Becky Rosen!" She shook his hand swiftly. She looked at Luke and smiled. "Bye, Luke." She looked at Jess and Ruby. "Bye, guys." She looked at Sam, then. "Later, Sam!" She skipped away. 

Ruby moaned. "I hate her. She's so... annoyingly energetic. Honestly, you tell her to go screw herself, and she says 'siiiillllyyyy! That's not reeeaaalll pooollliiiittteeee!'" She made her voice squeaky to immitate Ruby. 

Luke, meanwhile, was cringing. "She touched me." 

Jess giggled. "I think she liked you," she told Luke. 

Luke groaned, leaning his head against the table, his face suddenly unnaturally red. "I hate my life." 

Sam, Jess and Ruby burst out laughing. Luke couldn't help but show the slightest bit of a smile, which turned into one of his wicked grins. "I'm going to drag all of you to Hell," he mumbled, suddenly shy. "And never let ya come back up." 

Ruby sat forward. "You like her!" she shouted, her voice shrill and high with excitement. "OH MY F--" 

"Are you nuts?" Luke said, as if he'd been hit by a hammer. "No way, she's annoying, and loud, and completely and totally opposite to me! Not like she likes me anyway! I-I mean--" He looked at the three of them, who were staring at him with wide grins. "DAMN IT, GUYS! NOT WHAT I MEANT!" 

Jess and Sam were laughing so hard at Luke's face, that he started to yell at them. 

Ruby made a mischievous grin. "Luuuuukkkkkeeeee--" 

"No." 

"Please." 

"No." 

"I don't actually need your permission," Ruby said, getting his attention. "I could just, oh, I dunno... tell her you've got a crush on her and--" 

"You wouldn't--" 

"Oh, but would I?" there was a fire in her eyes, daring and a little creepy. Luke was usually the one who had that, but not this time. This time he was the awkward one who felt too out of place to understand what the circumstances were. 

"Ruby, don't you dare..." 

"Why, what?" Sam asked. 

Ruby grinned, a wicked grin that flashed brilliant white teeth. "I'm gonna be Cupid." She winked at Luke, smiled at Sam and Jess, and then hopped out of her seat, walking up to the vending machine at the front of the room. 

Luke sucked in a sharp breath. "I am soooooooooooo screwed." 

Jess nodded. "Once Ruby has her mind set on something, there is no stopping it." 

Sam smiled at Luke. "So," he said, taunting and teasing to Luke. "What next?"


	5. Luke... I am Not Your Father

For the next day or so, Ruby was hounding Luke. Sam and Jess didn't complain, exactly. With the two of them bickering and arguing over Ruby wanting to play 'Cupid' for Luke and Becky, they got to joke around more with each other. Alone. 

On Friday, three days after the first day of the ninth grade, Luke and Sam were going to Sam's house to hang out. After getting off of the bus, they went right to Sam's house. 

"Won't your parents worry, or something?" Sam asked. "You should tell them." 

Luke shrugged. "They won't care. Trust me. I'm kind of a nuissance to them, if you know what I mean." He hopped up the porch to the Winchester house, going inside after Sam put his key in. Sam just nodded, shrugging. "Hey, didn't you say you had a brother?" Luke asked. 

"Oh, Dean, yeah," Sam nodded. "I think he went over his friend's house. Otherwise, he would've driven us home himself, and his friend would be over here." Sam smiled to himself. Cas and Dean had been practically inseparable, and it was getting a little ironic. Dean was best friends with a religious nerd who was very, very quiet? It was just all too funny. 

"Cool, so we got the place to ourselves, or somethin'?" Luke asked. 

Sam nodded and walked into the house. "Yup." He led Luke inside, going up the stairs to the kitchen. He dropped off his backpack next to the counter and shrugged. "So, what do you wanna do?" 

"I don't know," Luke said with a sigh. "I'm just so grateful that Ruby isn't here." He brushed his forehed with his arm self-consciously. "I mean, with her asking me all of those weird questions so she could--it's starting to make me feel nervous. I don't get nervous. I don't like feelings!" 

Sam smirked. "Maybe you're just getting nervous because you know you're gettin' closer and closer to that date with Becky..." 

"Sam, I will--"   
"'Drag me to Hell,' yeah, I know," Sam laughed. "But, seriously, man, you like her. Ruby's just trying to do you a favor." 

"Since when?" Luke demanded. "Ruby and I hate each other." He paused. "You know, I think she's just doing this so she can see my agony. She knows I can't talk to Becky... I can't, Sam. None of you guys get it, but I can't. People think that I'm not exactly... a good influence?" 

Sam frowned. "Well, I don't care what people think of you. They do that to my brother all the time. He's kind of... Okay, he's got this thing with girls. He flirts with them a lot and he gets in loads of trouble for it. But he's a good person, even if he does that a lot." 

Luke frowned. "Your brother is good at flirting with girls? Well, you two are obvious polar opposites--" 

"Hey!" 

"Seriously, Jess is just begging you to ask her out!" Luke cried. He rolled his eyes at Sam's expression. "Whatever. I'm done talking about girls. You want to go do something? We could play X-box, or Wii... whatever you have?" 

Sam sighed. "We have Monopoly..." 

Luke laughed a bit and tilted his back, smiling. "God, you are so lame sometimes." He shrugged. "Sure." 

"Hey, I've been living in apartments for my whole life!" Sam snapped, walking to the hallway to the closet. "We didn't ever buy stuff like that because we didn't need it!" 

Luke shook his head. "No, I didn't mean you're lame 'cause you didn't have a Wii or an X-box, I meant that you suggested Monopoly as a substitute. I mean, seriously? Monopoly? I don't have a Wii, or whatever, either, you know. My family thinks that electronics like that will rot my brain." He rolled his eyes. "They're idiots. They think that they own me, and I have to what they want me to because we're related." 

Sam frowned. "That sucks," he said, pulling the Monopoly board from the top of the shelf. "Do you have anybody in your family who you like to talk to?" 

"My brother, Gabe, is alright, I guess. He's got this thing about pranking people," Luke explained. "Then, my brothers Jimmy and Castiel. They're twins, and they're reeeeaaalllyyy quiet. Castiel always does what he's told, and it's a little annoying. But Jimmy is probably the first out of all of us to have an actual relationship. He told Uncle Zach 'I have a girlfriend, okay? If you can't accept that, I'm really sorry. But my generation is like that, and you can't stop me.' It made me like him a little more." 

"Your family sounds cool," Sam said. "Why--" 

"They're religious freaks," Luke sighed exasperatedly, getting Sam's attention. "They believe in god, and angels, and demons, and the Devil. Stupid, right?" Sam shrugged. Luke rolled his eyes. "Remember how Ruby and the other kids call me 'Lucifer' sometimes? That's the joke. My family all believes in it, and it's sort of forced on me." 

"That really sucks," Sam blurted out. "People are making fun of you!" 

"I'll live. Besides, not like I don't tell them to shut up." He shrugged. "Wanna go play?" He tapped the Monopoly box. 

"Sure," Sam said. "But, uh, sorry... do you mind if I'm banker? I like math." 

Luke stared at Sam. "And that is the start of a very long list of reasons why I have no idea how we're friends." He smiled and nodded. "Sure, Sam, you can be banker. I hate math, anyway. School sucks." 

Sam said, "I love school, are you kidding?" He led Luke into the living room and set the box down, taking out the board and pieces. 

"Are you kidding?" Luke retorted. "Reason number two, by the way!" 

Sam rolled his eyes. "This is the best year ever, so far! I mean, I made friends this year! And... my family usually moves around a lot, so I never get to stay in one school for more than a month, or two. But now? It looks like we're going to stay in Lawrence!" 

Luke sighed. "I would give anything to have that kind of a life. Moving around so no one would annoy me, or--" 

"Becky Rosen might be a little upset to hear that," Sam teased, just as the door opened. 

"Hey!" it was Dean. "We're here to watch Star Wars, Sammy!" 

Luke glanced at Sam, who was about to answer with a hello. "Sammy?" 

"Don't you dare," Sam growled, making Luke laugh. Sam stood up and walked over to the ledge. "Hey, Dean," he said. "Hey, Cas." 

"Hello, Sam," Cas said politely. 

Luke froze. "Wait." He stood up and walked over to the ledge. "Castiel?" 

Cas looked up at Luke in confusion, which Luke returned. "What are you doing here?" Cas asked. 

"What are you doing here?" Luke fired back. Sam saw his friend suddenly turn hostile and rude. "What's going on, Castiel?" 

"Hey," Dean interrupted. "Who's this guy?" he nodded at Luke. 

"This is Luke," Sam said. "My friend from school." He looked at Castiel, eyes narrowed. "Wait, your name is Castiel?" He turned to Luke. "Oh, my gosh, I had no idea! Dean said--" He turned and looked at Cas. "I was introduced to him as 'Cas.' I didn't know." 

"Cas?" Luke repeated. He thought for a moment. "It's better than Cassy," he admitted. 

"Um, thanks," Cas said uncomfortably. "But, uh, Luke what're you doing here, if you don't mind me asking?" 

Luke scowled. "Sam's my friend. What about you?" 

"Dean is my... friend?" He looked at Dean uncertainly, who nodded up at Luke. Cas nodded, smiling faintly. 

"You don't have friends," Luke blurted. 

"Luke," Sam said, making Luke frown and shrug at him. 

Cas's face flushed. "Neither do you," he asid innocently. 

Dean looked between Cas and Luke. "Wait. Luke, as in your demonic brother?" 

Sam threw his arms up. "Dean!" 

Luke's fists clenched. "You called me demonic?" he growled at Cas. 

"No," Cas said. 

"I was paraphrasing," Dean rolled his eyes. "Sorry. Look, let's all just cool off, okay? Good. Now, I'm gonna go to the basement with Cas so we can watch our movie. Everyone cool with that?" 

Before the boys could answer, Sam's cell phone beeped. He walked over to the table, the room in a dead silence. He looked at it. 

Ruby: is he with u where is he??????? 

Sam sighed, grabbed his phone, and walked back to the ledge. "It's Ruby," he told Luke. "For you." 

Luke's eyes widened. "Tell her--tell her I'm not here!" he rushed out, suddenly embarrassed and shy again. 

Sam snorted. "You want me to lie to Ruby so she doesn't question you about your love life--" 

Luke elbowed Sam in the ribs and Sam glared at him. Then Sam realized Cas and Dean were still there, staring at them with open mouths. "Oh. Right. Um. Sorry." 

Cas blinked. A tiny smile formed. "Who is Ruby?" 

"Shut up, Castiel." 

Dean laughed. "Does someone need help talking to this 'Ruby' girl?" He looked at Luke pointedly. "You like her, or somethin'--" 

"What?" Luke sputtered out. "No! No! No way! Ruby--ew! She's--no way." 

Sam laughed at Cas and Dean's confusion. "Ruby is trying to get Luke the courage to ask a girl in school out. She's playing 'Cupid.'" 

"Sam, we don't have to tell them everything, you know," Luke hissed. He crossed his arms. 

Cas tilted his head. "What girl?" 

"Not telling you," Luke said, his voice a bit higher than usual. He looked at Sam. "Not. A. Word." 

"Luke, you shouldn't be embarrassed about your love-life," Sam teased with a laugh. 

Luke stared at him. "Oh, really? Then, you've told your dear brother about Jess?" 

Sam's smile left his face automatically. "Uhh, wait, wha--" 

Luke looked at Dean. "On the first day of school, this girl named Jessica 'helped' Sam to first period. But, you know, I don't think you need to hold hands to get to class. You know?" 

Dean's mouth opened. "Sammy!" 

Sam shook his head. "We were not holding hands, we... we were--" 

"Flirting? Joking?" Luke asked. "Don't think Ruby and I don't realize you two being all googly-eyed while she's tormenting me!" 

Sam's mouth opened, then closed, then opened again. "But--" 

"Did I mention they're both always talking about books and writing and law school stuff?" Luke added. 

"Luke!" Sam cried. 

Dean laughed and went up to his brother. He mussed Sam's hair. "It's okay, Lil' Sammy. I won't tell Mom and Dad you have a girlfriend." 

"She's not my girlfriend," Sam replied insistently. Nobody listened to him. Not even Cas, who saw him blushing and figured it all out. 

"So," Dean said. "As awkward as this whole brother-thing is, do you shrimps mind if we go downstairs to watch Luke Skywalker and Yoda and all that shit?" 

Luke tilted his head at Cas. "You're watching Star Wars? I didn't know you've ever watched that." 

"I haven't," Cas said. 

Dean nodded. "Which is why we gotta get goin'! The closer the second you get to graduation without watching this American legacy, the sadder your life becomes." He towed Cas down the stairs, all the way to the basement, leaving Luke and Sam wondering. "Try not to kill each other while we're gone!" Dean added sarcastically. 

Luke grinned at Sam. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked. 

Sam sighed, glancing at Luke. "Hey... what was that you said before about not being a good influence...?" 

His friend shrugged. "Well, I might get someone who's around me a lot to do something they're not supposed to. Mayyybbbeee, say, like annoying their brothers while they try to watch a movie?" 

"Hm. We shouldn't do that," Sam said with a disdainful, yet sarcastic, sigh. "But then again..." 

They both grinned at each other. Racing, they took off down the stairs. 

"AW, COME ON!" 

 

The next Monday, Dean couldn't believe it when he saw Luke and Sam sitting on the porch before he'd even gotten outside. Cas was standing at the foot of the porch, curiously watching them joke around. They were looking at Sam's English homework, which had a cartoon-ish picture of a cow, and they were doodling moustaches and Devil horns on it (the horns were Luke's touch). It was like the four of them were suddenly embedded in each other's time-frame. They were always there, Cas and Luke. 

"Good morning, Dean," Cas said politely. He was staring at Dean intently with his clear blue eyes. 

"Cas, please stop staring me down every second I'm with you," Dean joked. "It's a little discomforting." He paused. "God damn it, Cas!" 

Cas looked confused. "What? What did I do?" 

"I said 'discomforting!' I don't use big words like that. You're rubbing off on me!" 

"Well, that's one tragedy that will never have a good ending," Luke said, standing up. He looked over at Dean awkwardly. "You don't have to drive me, you know. I'm perfectly capable of taking the bus with Gabe and Bal." 

"Bal?" Sam asked. 

"My cousin," Luke said. "He's... never mind." He looked over at Dean. "You don't have to drive me, okay? I don't want to annoy--" 

"Hey," Sam said. "Your brother's coming, so why not you?" 

"Don't say that in front of Gabe," Luke warned. 

"Don't say what in front of me?" 

Dean, Sam, Luke and Cas all turned to see Gabriel walking over from the neighboring house. He went over to Luke and elbowed him. "So, this's your little buddy?" He nodded at Sam. "How's it going, kid?" 

Sam looked up. "Good... And I'm not a 'kid!'" 

Gabe raised an eyebrow. "Mrawr, claws out," he teased. He looked at Luke. "I see what you two have in common. Little bit of a temper." 

"I don't have a temper!" both Sam and Luke blurted out at the same time. They looked at each other, frowning. 

Dean laughed. He looked at Gabriel. "So, you're the other brother?" 

Gabe looked at Dean, then at Cas. "This is your friend?" he asked. "Now I don't see what you have in common. Didn't you just get invited to that girl's party for this week, or somethin'?" 

Dean nodded. "Her name was Maria, right?" 

"Meg," Cas corrected. "Meg Masters. She sits in front of me in science..." He paused. "Not that she ever pays attention." 

Gabe smirked. "You seem to have paid attention." 

Cas nodded solemnly. "I like that class." 

Dean and Gabe laughed. "Not what he meant, Cas," Dean sighed. 

"Oh," Cas said slowly. "I don't follow." 

Gabe shrugged. "Good. Whatever. Meg's a total..." He shook his head. "She's one of those girls who you don't want to mess with. Manipulative, you could say." 

Cas tilted his head. "See seemed nice." She's one of the only girls who doesn't actually make fun of me. Not that she does anything when they do make fun of me... 

Dean shook his head at Cas. "Don't bother, Cas. She's not exactly the kind of girl to, you know, like." 

"How do you mean?" Cas asked. 

Dean shrugged. "She's..." 

"She's not good news, okay?" Gabe told his brother cautiously. He wondered how he understood everything that Cas didn't about society. I'm the younger one, aren't I? "Stay away from her." 

"Oh. Um... okay?" Cas was beyond confused. Why were they even telling him this? All he'd said was that he sees her in science. Besides, he'd left out the part where almost every day she turned around and asked him if she could borrow a pencil. To which he would say, "Okay." He'd give her his pencil, she'd give him a smile and say, "Thanks, angel," like she'd given him a new name. She just knew him as angel. It made Cas feel weird... 

He shook his head. "Can we please change this subject?" 

"Right," Gabe sighed. "I gotta go catch the bus. Later, Winchesters. See ya, Cassy. Bye, Luke!" 

"Bye," they all said. The four of them got inside of the Impala, Cas and Dean in the front seat, Luke and Sam in the back. 

Cas asked, "Where is your father?" 

"He and Mom had to work," Dean said. "He gave me permission to park the car at the school, and then drive directly back home. He said it was the same for next Friday." 

Sam sat forward. "Dean." 

His brother turned just as he'd started the car. "Huh, Sammy?" 

"That's the day of the party," Sam said. 

Dean's eyebrows furrowed deeply. "How do you know that? It's a senior-party." 

"Just because we're freshman doesn't mean we're clueless," Luke said. "Sam and I do happen to sit somewhere in the cafeteria where, er, someone goes to tell us what's going on a lot." 

"By someone do you mean Jess, or something?" Dean smirked at Sam. 

"Nope, Becky." 

Dean frowned. "Who's--" 

"Luke's--" 

"Sam!" 

Sam sighed. "Dean, start the car before Luke murders me?"


	6. Bad Days

That day, Cas felt the schoolyear really beginning. He got teased for getting a 98 on a test, and called a nerd countless times. He just kept quiet the whole time, silently wishing the day would be over, so he and Dean could go do something like watch Star Wars together.   
Then eighth-period came, and Cas's life was changed undoubtedly forever. 

Besides studyhall, it was the only class he and Dean shared. In his other classes, he felt vulnerable, and in eighth-period Italian, he felt okay, but only because of Dean's presence. It made him comfortable that he had a friend there. 

"Hey, smarty," one of the boys in the class joked. He sat down at the seat to Cas's right, whilst Dean was to his left. 

"Um, hi." Cas looked down at his desk. He tapped his fingers. 

Then, a girl behind him asked, "Can you please stop tapping?" She was holding a purple, and her pen was a light purple color. He could see other neon colors on the paper, as if she only wrote in those colors. 

"Yes. Sorry." 

"It's fine." She shrugged, gave him a smile, and went back to writing into a notebook. She didn't talk much for the rest of the period. 

"Okay," the teacher said, walking over. "New test! Yipeee," he said sarcastically. Everyone rolled their eyes. Every teacher used that joke. "It's not going to count towards your grades. We just want to see what you've learned, and what you know." 

"You know everything," the boy next to Cas said. Cas looked over at him and didn't reply. 

I don't know how many minutes are in one year, Cas contemplated. He paused at the thought of this. I really want to know that now... 

Just then, the boy next to him dropped his pencil. "Whoa--"   
Cas leaned over to pick it up. He handed it to him. "Here you go." 

The boy grabbed it. He winked and nodded at Cas. "Smarty." He looked at the front of the room. 

Cas looked to the teacher, too, but realized Dean looking at how uncomfortable Cas was. 

"Now," the teacher said. "After we take the test, at the end of the period I'll collect your scantrons and you'll volunteer to read your answers. Got it?" There was a collective (yet, unenthusiastic) agreement. 

 

The test ended with the shuffle of papers, all of the scantrons going to the front of the room. The teacher sat at the front of his desk and sighed. "Okay, guys. Just ten more minutes and we continue tomorrow on the review. Anyone care to do number one? Read the question and answer, please?" 

Cas looked down at his paper. Where did Nicola meet his best friend? Out of the entire passage, they'd been read only a few words about the character's best friend. They hadn't even given a name. But, still, Cas had listened closely and understood it. The library. 

Cas knew the answer, and no one else was raising their hand. So, he raised his own hand, surprising himself entirely. 

The teacher, Mr. Milton, looked astonished. "Oh, um, Mr. Novak?" he asked, confused. 

"Um, where did Nicola meet his best friend? The answer was 'the library.'" His answer sounded lame and quick, but he didn't know how else to word it. 

Mr. Milton nodded, smiling appreciatively. "Good work, Novak." He grinned. "Now that I know you can talk, I expect you to answer more," he teased.   
Cas smiled back faintly. Not going to happen. 

The kid next to him laughed when Mr. Milton moved on. "Geek," he said. 

Cas was going to ignore it again. But Dean turned. "Shut up," he said to the boy. 

He stared at Dean, confused. "What? What'd I do?" 

"Leave Cas alone," Dean whispered, trying not to get Mr. Milton's attention. 

The boy rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He looked at Mr. Milton, and didn't say anything for the rest of the period. 

Cas looked a Dean with admiration. He didn't seem to pay attention to Cas looking at him with envy. How did he talk to people like that? How? 

Finally, Dean looked at Cas and smiled, shrugging. "Someone had to tell him to shut his hole..." 

 

The end of Cas's day didn't get any less confusing. In fact, it got even more confusing. The last class of his day was science. He did what he normally did. He sat behind Meg, who always turned around, gave him a sweet smile, and turned back to her friends. She didn't do that today. 

She gave him that sweet, pretty smile she usually did. But she turned in her seat to face him. Cas's mouth went dry all of the sudden, even more unsure than usual of what he was doing when she said something that caught him off guard. "Can I borrow a pencil?" Meg asked. 

Cas was lost in the funny look in her brown eyes. She had dark black, wavy-curly hair, and a sly look. But she was actually really sweet, Cas knew. She wore a black t-shirt, with a black leather jacket. She wore black jeans, which had rips in them. 

Cas just blinked at a sudden realization. Usually she asked to borrow a pencil after first five minutes started, after she didn't have an excuse to talk to her friends. "Okay," Cas said. He took out his only pencil and handed it to her, and then took out his ballpoint pen. When he looked back up, Meg was still looking at him. He stared back, unsure of what he was supposed to do. 

"So," Meg said, startling him. "How's it going, angel?" 

Cas shrugged. "Um, okay, I think..." He suddenly wished Dean was in his ninth-period class, too, so he could get a little advice. How do you talk to girls? 

She smiled at him. "You don't talk much," she said, stating the obvious. She tilted her head. "It's endearing, you know that?" 

"It is?" he asked. 

Meg's smile grew. "And that unsure-thing. It's real cute." 

"It..." Cas blinked, eyes wide. Did she just call me cute? "Oh. Um. Thank you." He smiled a bit, trying not to look so damn awkward for once. It failed epically. 

It made Meg smile even more, which Cas liked. He wished she'd smile more in front of him. She had a pretty smile. "You're cool," she said, shocking him even more. "What's your name, again?" 

"C-Castiel," Cas said. "You could... call me Cas...?" 

Meg smiled. "Castiel?" she asked. She bit the tip of her tongue, closing her eyes, seeming to be deep in thought, and Cas felt a lot more uncomfortable. "Like, for the angel?" she asked. She grinned when he nodded. She giggled. "Figures. You are an angel, aren't you?" she teased, noting that she'd already been calling him 'angel' for years. Ever since the fifth grade, probably. 

"Um, not exactly," Cas said nervously. 

She nodded. "Hmm..." She looked to the front of the room, and Cas had a terrible sinking feeling that she was about to start ignoring him again until tomorrow. But then she turned back and gave him another sweet smile. "Then again, why would you want to talk to me? I'm... the opposite of an angel. Which is--" 

"You're not demonic, if that's what you were about to say," Cas insisted. "You're a nice person. If I'm an angel that has to make you..." he paused. "A good person who an angel likes." He frowned at himself. Did I just-- 

A smile appeared on Meg's lips, that really, really pretty smile. Cas felt like his head was about to melt from excitement. It was weird, how her smile did that to him. There had to be something wrong with him. 

"Aww," she said. "Thanks, Clarence," she teased playfully. "And... I think that's the most words I've heard you say in one sentence." Meg winked at him, and then turned around. Cas let out a deep breath of relief, though part of him was sad the conversation was over. But apparently it wasn't over yet. Meg turned around again and sighed exasperatedly. "You know, what? Screw it." She faced Cas. "I'm having a party on Friday. I could give you my address. I think your friend, Dean? Yeah, he was invited. You could go with him." 

Cas's mouth opened. "Oh," he said, feeling strange. "I--O-okay," he said. "Sure... Sure!" 

Meg stared at him for a moment. She smiled a bit. "See ya there, then," she said slowly. "And, um..." Her jaw locked. "Tomorrow... and the next day... and the next day... and the next day... and the next day, and then at the party." 

Cas nodded at her, smiling. "Sure," he said. 

Meg batted her eyelashes, and he felt his head spinning. "Look for me when you get there, okay?" 

Cas nodded. "O-okay!" he said, his voice unnaturally high. 

Meg smiled wide. "Awesome," she said. She turned around, her smiling never ceasing, pleased with herself for the rest of the period. 

Cas daydreamed for the rest of the period. He'd just gotten invited to a party, for Christ sake! That never happened. And, what's more, Meg had told him... 

Now I really need advice from Dean. 

At the end of the period, Cas stood up to go. But Meg suddenly grabbed his arm, and he felt his skin prickle at her touch. "Uhhhh?" he blurted out. 

Meg blushed a little, which wasn't like her at all. She pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to him. "Forgot to give you the address." She shrugged. "Dumb 'ole me." 

"You're not dumb, you're very smart," Cas insisted. 

Meg smiled and nudged his shoulder. "Later, Clarence." She walked through the door, Cas staring after her as she went out. His shoulder felt all tingly where she'd touched him. 

Just then, a boy walked up behind Cas. He whistled. "Nice work, nerd," he teased. He walked out, and that was the last time Cas ever talked to him. It was just a random thing. Like Meg had been. 

Cas took a deep breath. Yup. I need to talk to Dean. Like, now. 

 

Sam was doodling a man holding a pitchfork when Ruby came over. It was lunchtime, and Luke was in the bathroom. He was taking his time, probably to avoid coming to find Ruby dictating the table. Jess had come over with Ruby, but sat next to Sam instead of across from him as Ruby did. 

Sam nodded at Ruby. She nodded back. They'd both been doing that lately, nodding at each other just to say 'hi.' Sam looked over at Jess and he smiled warmly at her. "Hey, Jess." 

Jess smiled. "Hi, Sam," she replied, equal in emotion. It made Sam feel like the world was spinning--well, it was, according to the laws of the planets and the solar system, but that wasn't the point. Jess just affected him like that. But then Jess's smile lessened, and Sam was suddenly concerned. 

"Jess?" Sam asked nervously. Had he done something wrong? "What's up? Are you alright?" He reached over to her, and before he knew it, he had his hand over hers. 

Jess looked up at him, her eyes sad and brimming with tears. "My family's going to move soon," she said, this time making Sam feel like the spinning world was being ripped out from underneath him. When Sam didn't react much, she shrugged and went on. "My parents told me the other week, but... I didn't think they'd actually go through with it. They told me this morning that on Saturday we're going all the way up to New York to see the new place." She shook her head. "I can't leave Lawrence. Everything I've ever known is here--I rode my bike for the first time here, I got asked out on a date for the first time here, and I made my first real friends here!" 

Sam stared at her, stricken. "W..." He felt his chest going heavy. "If you do," he said, unable to not sound depressed. "We'll always keep in touch. You, me, Ruby, and Luke. We're all friends now, right?" 

Jess smiled at him. "All thanks to you, Sam. You brought the four of us together." She looked down. "It's not fair. I like you, I don't want to leave!" 

Sam blinked at her. "Huh?" 

Jess looked over. "Wh--oh-ohh... I--I mean..." She looked at Ruby. Help me!, she seemed to plea. But Ruby shrugged, a smug look on her face, as if Luke and Becky weren't her only matchmaking-couple. 

"I like you, too," Sam insisted, making Jess stare at him with wide eyes. "A lot. But... don't worry, okay? If... if you move, we could always video chat." She looked a little less sad, so he went on. "Every week, we could." She smiled more and he grinned, coaxing her to feel better. "And, trust me, I'll be looking forward to every time we talk. It'll make the days go by so much faster, and high school is overwhelmingly fast as it is." 

Jess smiled at him, a real, happy smile. "You're amazing, Sam," she said. She leaned over to him and put her arms around him, pulling him into a hug. Sam stiffened a bit, but then smiled and hugged her back, closing her eyes. 

There was a shout behind Sam and Jess, making them jump. "Get a room, dorks!" 

Sam and Ruby flushed, letting go of each other. Ruby stood up, leaned over the table, giving a daring look to the guy who'd spoken. "Hey, Gordon!" Ruby shouted right back. "How about the next time you grope your girlfriend's--" 

"Ruby!" Jess yelped, kicking her best friend underneath the table. "Don't--" 

"--ass, how about you get a room instead of being in front of the whole school?!" 

"What'd you say to me?" 

Sam heard footsteps scuffling, and he buried his face in his hands. "We are so dead." He looked up. "Thanks, Ruby." 

Ruby sneered at him. "Someone's gotta tell him when to shut it." 

Someone poked Sam, hard and unrelenting, and he turned around cautiously. He winced, seeing Gordon Walker, eleventh grader, towering over him. Even if Sam wasn't sitting, Gordon was tall enough to be intimidating. The guy seemed to have this murderous look in his eyes when someone made a joke about him--but he dished out hundreds of jokes a day to other people! 

"You guys saying something about me?" Gordon's friends were looking over, laughing at Sam and Ruby and Jess, obviously thinking, Well, they're goners! 

Sam's throat suddenly felt dry. Gordon had been tormenting him, calling him 'shrimp' since his first day. He thought back to what Dean had said years ago, about if someone gave him trouble. "Give it to 'em straight, Sammy. Tell 'em to back the Hell offa you, or he's gonna pay." Sam wanted to say it, but he didn't know what he could possibly do to make Gordon Walker 'pay.' 

"Leave us alone, Gordon," Jess said, her voice quiet as she mustered up as much courage as she had. Sam looked over at her gratefully as he searched his brain for something to say. 

"M'kay, Mrs. Sammy Winchester." 

Sam's fists clenched at that. "Don't call me Sammy," he hissed. 

Gordon looked at Sam's hands and laughed, seeming to find Sam to be about as scary as a pink teddy bear with hearts. "Sammy-Shrimp," Gordon joked. "And his girlfriend--"

Sam took a step forward. "She's not my girlfiend!" he snapped, his voice raising as his bravery got higher by the second. Gordon was really starting to get on his nerves. "Leave us alone." 

Gordon simply rolled his eyes, still smiling wide. "So, is this girl, like, Lucifer's girlfriend now, too?" he pointed to Ruby, who gave him a cold stare of warning. Don't mess with me. Gordon raised his eyebrows and he snorted. "You know--" 

"Hey," a voice next to Gordon growled intensely. Everyone who was watching turned to see Luke, his arms crossed, chin up with confidence and undeniable annoyance. "What'd you call me, Gordon?" 

Gordon looked at his friends and then laughed. "Lucifer," he said daringly. 

Uh-oh, Sam thought. He, Jess and Ruby exchanged worried glances. 

Luke took a step forward to Gordon. "Call me that again, Walker," he said, his voice strangely calm. "I dare you." 

"L--" 

"Be warned, I might just have to rip your throat out if you call me that and mess with these guys," Luke said, gesturing to Sam and the girls. "Now, why don't you and your stupid friends go and pick on someone your own size?" he demanded. "Maybe, I don't know, a linebacker, since you're so big. I mean, seriously, using your size to scare people? That is soooo cliche. Do yourself a favor and stop embarrassing yourself." He waved at Gordon ruefully. "Bye-bye." 

Gordon sneered. "You think I'm scared of you, Lucifer?" he taunted. "I eat idiots like you for breakfast." 

Luke nodded sarcastically. "I bet you do, Gordon. I bet you do. Now leave them alone. Or I'll make you." 

Gordon frowned. "You think you can make me do anything?" he asked. For a second, Sam thought he heard Gordon's confidence go down. Was it possible that Gordon Walker was afraid of Luke Novak? No friggin' way... 

Luke stepped over to Gordon, glaring. "I know so." Gordon laughed, rolling his eyes. Luke poked Gordon's shoulder. "And you do too." 

Gordon glared at Luke. "You know, you're really askin' for it, kid." 

"Bring it on, Walker," Luke said. "Pick a fight with a thirteen-year-old and get your butt kicked. That's a sure way to make people laugh at you for a change." 

Gordon's jaw clenched. "Careful, Lucifer," he said. "You're testin' my last nerve..." 

"Luke," Jess said, making both Sam and Ruby to fall out of their trance of confusion. "Come on. Let's... just move...?" 

"No way," Luke said. "Nobody's moving." He looked up at Gordon daringly. "Except for you, right after I kick your a--" 

Sam, Jess and Ruby all shouted when Gordon threw the first punch. 

"Luke!" Sam cried, running over to his friend. But Luke put his hand up to lip, where he'd gotten a cut, his fists balled up just before Sam could reach him, and he jumped at Gordon. 

Sam watched as the two both grappled, his mouth wide with shock. He shook his head. "Luke, stop it!" 

"Leave them---alone!" Luke shouted at Gordon. 

"You're such a--" 

Sam bent down and grabbed at Luke. "Luke, you can't--" 

Gordon was on top of Luke all of the sudden and gave Sam a shove. "Move, nerd!" 

Sam fell against the cold floor, his eyes wide as he realized within seconds that he was in big trouble. The last thing he saw before his head his the corner of the table was Jess shoving Gordon with surprising force to get past him to Sam. And then, Sam felt everything stop.


	7. World's Worst Weekend

Dean was finishing up in math class when the staff assistant came for him. 

He was finishing the problem the teacher had put on the board, when there was a knock on the door. Dean, and the rest of the class who didn't want to be there, turned their heads. 

The woman who stood in the doorway looked up at the teacher, then scanned the room. "Is there a Dean Winchester in here?" she asked in a grumbling voice. 

Dean looked at the teacher, who nodded at him. Dean stood up, and the woman added, "Take your stuff. You're comin' with me to the main office." 

Dean frowned, putting his notebook into his bookbag as he chased after the staff assistant, who was already leaving. "Am I in trouble?" he asked, trying his best to sound innocent. "'Cause whatever it is, I really didn't--" 

"No, you're not in trouble," the staff assistant. "But your brother has been suspended--" 

Dean stopped in his tracks. "What?" He shook his head. "That can't be right! My brother... he's a good kid, that makes no sense!" 

She looked over at him. Her blonde, graying hair was flat and plain. She looked unamused by his actions. "Your brother. Sam Winchester. He's been suspended for getting involved in a fight last period. Come on." She led him down the hallway to the main office, where, to his surprised, he find his brother, Luke with a growing black eye, a girl Sam's age, and some older kid with a bruise on his shoulder, all sitting in a row, looking annoyed. 

Dean looked at Sam pointedly, stopping to say something before the teacher took him away to talk to someone else. "When we get home, you sure as Hell better have a good explanation for all this," he said, in his best responsible voice. 

Sam looked up at him. Dean suddenly realized his brother's eyes looked low and sleepy, and Sam was holding an ice bag from the nurse's office to the back of his head. Dean frowned. "Sammy, what happened?" 

Sam looked over to his left, where the older kid with the black hair was glaring at the wall. "Nothing, Dean." 

"Sam!" Dean snapped. He looked back to the staff assistant, but she wasn't telling him to come further into the office. It was like she wanted Dean to ask him--

Oh. They didn't know what happened still. 

Dean looked over at the girl. "Who're you?" he asked. 

She looked up, and Dean saw that she looked terrified. "I--I'm Jessica," she said. "Jessica Moore." She looked at Sam sadly. "I've never been called for a detention before..." she said quietly. She shut her eyes tightly. "My parents are gonna kill me..." 

"Trust me," Dean said. "That's nothin' compared to what I'm gonna do to Sammy when we get home." He glared at his brother, but immediately felt terrible when he spoke.   
"Dean, would you stop that?" Sam sighed, not even sounding annoyed. "I was... I didn't even..." He shook his head and looked over at Luke to his right, and then to the older kid to his left. "I was trying to stop the..." 

Dean frowned at Luke. "Okay, what happened?" 

Luke's jaw was locked and he glared up at Dean. "Nothing." 

"Oh, well, the shiner you got there says otherwise," Dean criticized, earning a frown from Luke. Dean looked at Jessica. He paused. "Hey, are you the 'Jess' my brother's got a crush on?" 

Jess and Sam turned red, but Luke smiled a bit. However, the older kid snorted. Dean looked at the other kid. "Who's this guy?" he asked. 

"Gordon Walker," the staff assistant said from behind him. "He and Luke, here, had a very long wrestling-match, it seems, in the cafeteria last period. But the kids are not listening to a thing we say, so we were hoping you'd try to help clarifying things. We heard you're good with kids." 

Dean frowned as she left, walking behind a desk. "Sam is not 'kids,' lady," he mumbled. He looked at the four, all looking bitter and depressed. He sighed. How hard could this actually be? "So. Who started it?" 

"Luke." 

"Gordon." 

"Sam." 

"Ruby!" 

Dean blinked. "This might be harder than I thought," he admitted aloud. He looked between them. "Okay... I'm gonna ask you to tell me your side first," he said to Jess. 

She stared. "Wh-why me?" 

"Well, I have a feeling you're not used to getting into trouble. Sammy's not, either, but it's comforting to see that you're actually freaking about this, no offense. Just tell me the truth." 

Jess took a deep breath. "Okay." She shut her eyes. "Well, I guess..." She looked at Sam, blushing a bit, making Dean roll his eyes. But then she said, "I sort of hugged Sam, and Gordon yelled something that wasn't very nice, and then Ruby yelled back at him something equally not-nice, and... then Gordon was annoying Sam, calling him 'Sammy-Shrimp,' and being mean. So, Luke came back over from the bathroom, and he'd been purposely taking a long time to avoid Ruby, and then Luke told Gordon to leave to us alone but Gordon and Luke started to threaten each other and then they got into a fight and Sam tried to pull Luke and Gordon off of each other but Gordon shoved Sam and Sam fell and hit his head against the corner of the table in the cafeteria!" She gasped for breath after she'd finished. 

She is so not used to being in trouble. Dean nodded. "Okay. Now you." He looked at Luke. 

"I went to the bathroom as soon as Ruby went into the cafeteria. She's been trying to..." He shrugged and blushed to himself. "Whatever. But, I've been trying to avoid her as much as I can so she doesn't ask me so many penetrating questions. Well, I came back to see Gordon making fun of Sam and Jess, so... I told him to get lost, and we argued, and he threw a punch at me. What, did you all expect me to just stand there?" he asked, frowning at Jess and Sam. 

"Okay," Dean said, looking at Gordon. "Your turn." 

Gordon rolled his eyes. "I was minding my own business when Ruby yelled at me, and I went over to tell her to shut her mouth. But Luke came over and started taunting me, and I punched him." 

"That is not how it happened--" Jess started angrily. 

"Shut up, Mrs. Winchester," Gordon sneered. 

"Hey," Dean said, interrupting the two of them. "Play nice. What else happened?" 

"Don't you know Luke Novak?" Gordon demanded. "He always starts fights. Because he's an idiot and he doesn't know when someone can potentially kick his ass." 

Luke snorted and looked up. He gestured to Jess, who was staying quiet after Dean had told her to shush. "You didn't seem to have the 'potential to kick my ass' after Jess pushed you after you shoved Sam into a freakin' table!" 

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Wait, what?" He looked at his two friends, confused. 

Jess's face was bright red. "Um, I might of... overreacted..." 

Sam smiled and shrugged. "Oh. Um. Th-thanks? I guess..." 

Jess looked up and smiled at him tenderly. "Oh, you're welcome, Sam," she said politely. 

"Like I said," Gordon rolled his eyes. "Mr. and Mrs.--" 

"Shut up, Gordon!" Sam, Jess and Luke chorused together. 

Dean sighed. Then he looked at Sam. "You better tell me the truth, Sammy," he threatened. "Or when we get home, I'm going to ground you by taking away your bookshelf. You got that?" 

Sam's eyes widened. "Er, yes, Dean?" He shook his head and told his retelling of how the fight occurred after Ruby yelled at Gordon to back off. 

"Wait, who's Ruby?" Dean asked, suddenly confused. He looked at Luke. "Matchmaker-girl?" 

Luke nodded, rolling his eyes. "She's talking to the principal. Gordon blamed her for the whole thing. Well, and me, but..." He shrugged. "Not the first time I've been in this office." 

Sam shook his head. "That's not okay, Luke--" 

"Look, Sam, I appreciate you trying to vouch for me," Luke sighed. "But the odds are totally against me. It's not the first time this kind of a thing has happened to me, and I bet they're going to base the whole thing off of my school record." He rolled his eyes. "Which isn't exactly all rainbows-and-sunshine, by the way." 

"But that's not fair," Jess said in agreement with Sam. "You helped us. You stood up for Sam and Ruby and me." 

Luke shrugged nonchallantly. "I'll be okay." He laughed nervously. "Not like they haven't called Uncle Zach already, and he's ready to kick my ass for getting into 'more trouble,' as I always do," he said with a roll of the eyes. 

"Luke, you shouldn't listen to them," Sam insisted. "You're not a bad influence and you're not always bound to get into trouble. You have to know that, man..." 

Just then, a man walked into the office. He took the attention of the room, but not of Luke, surprisingly. Luke just sucked in his breath and looked down at the floor. The man walked over to him. He had white hair, green eyes, and he looked at everything around him as if it were lesser than he was. 

"You're kidding me, right?" the man asked, annoyed. 

"Sorry, sir," Luke said, not meeting his eyes. "Just kinda happened..." 

The man sighed. "Yeah. As always. Stay here, I'll sign you out. I'm taking you home." He walked to the back of the office just as Ruby went out. 

Gordon laughed. "Someone's totally dead." 

"Shut up, Walker!" Ruby and Luke both said. Ruby didn't know the situation, but she just wanted Gordon to shut up for once. 

"Who was that?" Jess asked, taking the words right out the Winchester brothers' mouths about the mysterious man. 

"My Uncle Zach." Luke sighed. "I'm so dead." He rolled his eyes. "As usual." 

Jess looked up at Dean. "Sam shouldn't get in trouble," she said, feeling sad. "He was trying to get Luke and Gordon off of each other. It's the truth. Gordon just lied..." 

"They don't know that," Sam sighed, gesturing to the woman at the desk. 

"Okay, you two," the woman at the desk next to them said. She stood up and looked at Sam and Dean. "Time to head out. Filled out the paperwork. Get this troublemaker outta the school until Wednesday. You hear me?" She pointed at Sam. "No more fights, Winchester." 

Sam frowned. "But..." 

The woman walked away and Luke frowned. "Man, you seriously can't be too afraid to tell off a lady who's got the whole story wrong, can you?" Sam just glared. "Oh, wait, you're too shy to tell the girl you like that you wanna go out for a date--my bad," he said sarcastically. 

"I can too tell her," Sam snapped, his face red. Jess, Ruby and Luke stared at him. Apparently Sam had forgotten somewhat that Jess was sitting right next to him. "I just..." 

Jess smiled a bit. "Just what, Sam?" 

Sam turned and his mouth opened. His voice came out fairly high-pitched. "Uhhhh, I... I didn't... I mean... I did, I... Um..." He looked at Dean. "H-help me?" 

Dean scoffed at how unskilled his brother was. He just turned to Jess and grinned at her, making her look curious and confused. Ah, blissfully innocent ninth graders... "I'm gonna take my brother, Sammy, here, home, okay? Sorry he can't get the nerve to ask you out today." Jess looked a little disappointed, while Sam was glaring at Dean epically. Until Dean added, "But don't worry. I'll show Sam how to flirt by tomorrow." He grabbed his brother's arm, who's mouth was wide with shock. "See ya, shorties." 

He led Sam out of the building and to the parking lot. "You're still in trouble, you know," Dean insisted, sending Sam and frown as they got into the car. The bell to get out of school rang and Dean nodded happily. "We gotta wait for Cas." 

"As long as you don't lecture me for trying to help my friend from getting beat up by a gargantuan eleventh grader," Sam replied in an astonishingly annoyed tone. "I'm perfectly fine with waiting for Cas." 

Dean stared in his rear-view mirror at his little brother. Finally, after a moment's long silence, he turned around. "What kind of crap is that?" he demanded. "What's with you and never wanting to just..." 

"What?" Sam retorted, sitting forward and glaring. "Behave. Dean, I always behave. I'm the good kid, and it's really pissing me off that you're acting like I'm a criminal because I got pushed into a table, getting knocked unconscious, when I tried to pull my friend and a bully apart from fighting. And it pisses me off that I got suspended! What kind of crap is 'this school doesn't tolerate violence'! I was trying to stop them--" 

"Your little friend started it!" Dean said. 

Sam sneered. "No, Gordon started it when he told Jess and me to 'get a room' when she hugged me after I told her I wasn't going to ever ignore her when she moved! It's not Ruby's fault, okay? Sure, it was a little annoying that she yelled at Gordon, but it was okay--" 

"I wasn't talking about Ruby," Dean growled, making Sam pause. 

"Then... what do you mean?" Sam demanded. Dean wouldn't meet his eyes. Sam threw his arms up. "Unbelievable!" Dean kept quiet, glaring at the seat next to him. Sam pushed open the car door, making Dean narrow his eyebrows and follow his lead. 

"What do you think you're doing?" Dean thundered. 

Sam whirled around, slamming the door and glaring. "Dean, Luke is not a bad influence!" 

"Oh, really?" his brother cried. "Then where the Hell is this coming from? You're suddenly a gigantic ball of annoyed-emotions--" 

"I've always been like this!" Sam shouted, making Dean stop. "I just haven't told anyone!" He started pacing. "'Be a good kid, Sammy,' 'always do the right thing, Sammy!' I'm sick of it, Dean! People think I'm a good kid, but I'm just an okay one! Luke? He's an okay kid, like me, and that's why I'm his friend!" 

"He's a bad influence, Sammy!" Dean insisted. 

Sam's fists clenched. "Dean, Luke is convinced that he's a bad person because he doesn't believe in what his family teaches him! Heck, Luke doesn't even believe in God, Dean! And his family reprimands him for speaking his beliefs openly! Granted, he's not very good at making his point without making someone want to rip his head off sometimes, but he's still a good person, even if everyone thinks otherwise!" 

Dean threw his arms up. "Making people want to rip his head off means he's a terrible influence, Sam! And he's gonna--" He paused. "Sam, be reasonable. Mom and Dad are going to come home, yell at you for suddenly getting into trouble, and--" 

"What? You want me to blame Luke?" Sam cried. He snorted. "Dean, that's absurd! Luke was defending me and Jess!" 

"Look where it got you!" 

"He--is--my--friend!" Sam shouted. 

"He's a bad person!" 

"At least he isn't afraid to tell his family what he thinks, instead of hiding behind a stupid car and a bunch of girls!" Sam yelled. 

Dean's jaw clenched. "What?" 

"You heard me!" Sam insisted, his voice wavering. Maybe he'd gone a little too far... "You do so well at following what Dad tells you. Honestly, he treats you like you're a Marine, Dean! And you go through with it, saying that you can't let him down!" 

"Hey, just because I'm a good son doesn't mean you can get annoyed over it!" Dean snapped. 

Sam rolled his eyes. "Most of the time you don't want to do what Dad tells you, Dean. I know you. I see it. But you just plaster a smile on your face and say 'what harm could it do to listen to him every single time?' And you go through with it, whatever it is! I don't understand the blind faith you have in the man!"

"He's our Dad!" Dean yelled, smacking his hand against the Impala in anger. Sam took a step back as Dean started ranting. "We're supposed to listen to him because it's a responsibility--" 

"Dean, you've had me as your responsibility since we were toddlers!" Sam shook his head. "The way we were raised was terrible! Moving around, not letting us have any friends, and making you feel obligated to take care of me when they were out doing their jobs?" 

"We had plenty of friends growing up!" Dean insisted. 

"Oh yeah? Name one within our age group who we kept in touch with for more than a year!" 

Dean glared at Sam. "That's not the point Sam!" 

"Then what is?!" 

"Damn it, Sam! Just because you were too much of a freak to make friends doesn't mean it was the end of the world!" 

Sam and Dean both stopped after that. After a few seconds of standing in silence, Sam nodded, his expression solemn yet undeniably angry. "Yeah... right..." He opened the car door and slammed it shut after he climbed in. 

Dean shut his eyes. "Sam." His brother ignored him. "Sammy--" 

"Is this a bad time?"

The sudden voice of Cas made Dean jump from being startled. "Holy crap, Cas, don't scare me like that." He looked behind Cas to see Luke walking out of the building with their Uncle Zach. "Look, there's somethin' we gotta talk about later." Like why your brother is suddenly corrupting mine to act like a menace? "Let's get outta here." 

Cas nodded solemnly, a confused look on his face. He opened the car door and went in after Sam. "Hello, Sam," he said, as polite as usual. Sam grunted in reply. Cas narrowed his eyebrows and looked at Dean, who was sitting in the driver's seat and starting the car. "What about Luke?" 

Sam answered before Dean did. "Your Uncle Zach drove Luke home because he got into a fight defending me and our friends." He shot Dean a look of daring through the rear-view mirror. 

Cas blinked. "Um..." There was a long silence as they started out of the parking lot, and drove towards their street. "Does this make it a bad time to say that I was invited to a party by a nice girl?" 

Dean nearly stepped on the brake. "What?" 

Sam laughed a bit and turned to Cas. "Congrats, Cas," he said. "What's her name?" 

"M-Meg." 

Dean frowned. "Gabriel and I told you that you shouldn't talk to her for a reason, Cas," he warned. 

Cas frowned back. "Does this mean you wouldn't wish to go? I... I don't think I'd be okay with going without you, Dean. Frankly... My 'people skills' are 'rusty.'" 

Dean cocked his head to the side. "I really don't think you should go." 

"Why?" Cas asked. 

"Because it's... one of those parties..." Dean started, trying to get his complicated point across. 

Cas didn't seem to register the idea. "What kind of party? I don't understand your meaning." 

Before Dean could go on, Sam cut him off. "Do you like her, Cas?" 

Cas blushed a fair amount. "Um. Yes, I believe so..." 

"Go for it," he said. 

"Sam!" His little brother obviously didn't understand what Dean was trying to say, either. It didn't cross the poor kid's mind that a girl like that would want anything to do with a guy like Cas. But Dean had a feeling this was one of those manipulative girls who liked messing with her prey. And he didn't like that Cas had become her sole focus lately. 

Sam ignored Dean. "Tell me what she's like." 

"Guys, seriously? You're just gonna..." Dean began to grumble to himself. 

Cas smiled, the two of them pretty much ignoring Dean's warnings. "She's been calling me 'angel' since the first day of the sixth grade. But today, after I told her that she was a good person, she called me 'Clarence.' I didn't understand why..." 

Sam smirked. "Uh, I think it's because Clarence is the name of an angel in It's a Wonderful Life." 

Cas frowned. "I am not familiar with this." 

"... It's a Wonderful Life?" Sam questioned. By now Dean had given up. "The main character is a suicidal man, convinced that his life had no meaning or effect on other people. Then an angel, Clarence, shows up right before the guy is going to kill himself. Clarence shows him what the world would be like if he never existed, thus making the character believe in the joys of life itself. Seriously, you've never seen it on around Christmas-time?" 

Cas shook his head. "I'm afraid not." 

Sam laughed. "I'll help you catch up on classic movies before you go. Don't worry." 

Cas smiled. "Thank you, Sam." 

"Don't mention it, Cas," Sam nodded. They drove in silence after that, and Sam had a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. This definitely was going to be the worlds' worst weekened ever.


	8. The Kids Aren't Alright!

"I don't believe this," Sam murmured. He had his arms crossed, leaning against the wall beside his bed, glaring at his parents. "You're taking away my bookshelf? Seriously?" 

"For a week," John said, obviously pissed. 

"Dad, I didn't start the fight!" Sam complained. "I didn't even punch anyone! Gordon pushed me into a table!" 

"Sam, the teacher said that kids saw you reacting to what Gordon was saying to you," Mary insisted. She was giving her son a disappointed look, full of saddness and pity. 

John said, "Dean's telling me you're hanging out with some--" 

"You're kidding me right?" Sam suddenly shouted, causing his parents to both jump back in surprise. Sam bit his tongue, trying to calm himself down. "My friend," he said. "Was telling Gordon to back off. And Gordon punched him. So my friend fought back, and I tried to get them off of each other." 

"Sam, he sounds like he's--" 

"If you call my best friend a bad influence, Dad, I swear..." Sam trailed off. 

John's jaw clenched. "Sam Winchester," he said solemnly. "I have never been more disappointed in you. I thought you were a better judge of character, I thought you were better than this!" 

Sam's mouth opened wide. "You're not listening to what I'm saying, Dad!" he insisted. 

"I'll listen to you when you understand what's going on," John said. "But right now you're the kid, I'm the adult, and--" 

"That's total bullshit!" Sam shouted, making his parents stare in complete and utter disbelief. Suddenly, everything Sam had ever wanted to scream about them came pouring out. "I hate how we live! I hate how you always act like you know what's best every single time we talk! Just because you're older does not mean you're better than I am in any way!" 

"Sam--" 

"And, you know what?" Sam said. "Screw the stupid military-thing, Dad! When I grow up, I'm gonna do what I want to! Not the 'family business.' I don't care you're in the Marines, I don't care that Dean wants to be just like you! I don't care, I don't care, I don't care! I just want you to, for once, listen to what I have to say! Because I'm not like you, I'm not like Dean, and I'm certainly not going to pretend that I am anymore!" His jaw clenched. "I wanna be a lawyer when I grow up. There. I said it. Yell at me for wanting to do something for myself for a change. Could you please get out of my room now?" 

John took a step forward to Sam. "Sam--" He looked annoyed, so Sam cut him off before he could bend his words, going on further so the roll wouldn't stop. 

"Dad, if you're not going to get out of here, I will!" Sam yelled. "Not like you'd care, anyway! You have perfect Dean to take care of! You've always liked him better. Figures, since I've always been a freak--" 

"Sam!" Mary shouted, making Sam jump. She never yells at me, he thought. Why is she yelling at me? Her eyes were wide.

John glared at Sam and rushed out, slamming the door behind him. "Unbelievable!" they could hear him shouting from the living room, to no one in particular. 

"Sam," Mary said, suddenly very calm. Sam frowned at her and she sighed. "Don't look at me like that, baby." She sat down next to him and smiled a bit. She ruffled his hair and he swatted her away with a sigh. 

"Mom," he complained, trying to stay mad. She wasn't making it easy by poking and prodding his hair, trying to make him her own personal doll. "Mom, seriously. Stop with the hair... Please?" 

She smiled at that. She put her hand at his shoulder and squeezed. "I love you, Sammy," she said quietly. "Your Dad and I love you. We love you and Dean equally. Dean is not our 'favorite.' We're parents, Sam. We're not allowed to have favorites. It's in the rulebook, silly," she teased. 

Sam rolled his eyes. "Dad's not good at following rules," he murmured. 

Mary gave him a pained look. It made Sam feel terrible. "Honey, where is all of this coming from?" she asked him gently. 

He looked down bitterly. "I've always felt like this. You guys just never listen to me." 

She stared at him, looking dumbstruck. "Oh, Sammy..." She pulled him into a hug, shocking him completely. He awkwardly returned the hug. 

"Um, Mom?" 

"Yes, dear?" 

"Shouldn't you be yelling at me?" 

Mary raised an eyebrow playfully and sighed. She lifted her feet up onto Sam's bed and took his hands onto her lap. "Sweetie, nothing good ever comes from yelling." 

Sam nodded and looked down. "Right." 

"So, what's this about you and your brother?" Mary asked, tilting her head. "You guys have your arguments, but never like this. You guys haven't spoken a word to each other since your Dad and I got home. What happened?" 

Sam looked down. Dean called me a freak. "Nothing." 

She narrowed her eyebrows. "It has to be something. Your father and I got home last night, and you've been ignoring Dean the whole time. What's going on? Is this about the fight you got into with that older kid? Did Dean get mad about it--" 

"Dean and I got mad at each other over nothing, Mom," Sam insisted. "It was nothing. Seriously. We're both perfectly fine." 

Just because you were too much of a freak to make friends doesn't mean it was the end of the world! 

Dean's words had echoed in Sam's head since Monday. It was Wednesday night, after school. Sam hadn't seen Luke in school, and he figured his friend was still in deep trouble with his family. Cas had gone radio-silent, too, which didn't help Sam and Dean's relationship at all. 

"You don't look fine," Mary said to Sam insistently. Sam just shrugged at her. 

"I'm tired, Mom. I wanna go to sleep. Do you mind if I...?" He shrugged.   
Mary sighed reluctantly. "You are so much like your father, Sam, it's scary." 

Sam frowned. "I'm nothing like Dad." 

She laughed nervously. "Oh, really?" She started playing with his hair again, but this time he didn't complain. He was too confused to comprehend it. "I know that you're both very, very quiet when you know you have a special feeling. Whether you're angry, or have a crush, maybe--," Sam looked up at his mother nervously, but she didn't seem to realize. "--you just deny feelings altogether. And just like your father, it comes bursting out like a volcano at the worst times, Sammy." She sighed. "It's not good, to act like that. You need to tell people how you're feeling. We could help you." 

"I got better," Sam said truthfully. "Luke--my friend, he understands the whole... 'ignored' thing." 

"Oh, really?" she asked unenthusiastically. "How so, sweetie?" 

Sam looked up at her. "Luke is Cas's brother." 

Mary sat up. "What?" 

Sam snorted. "See? You're already confused. That's the problem. People jump to unneccesary conclusions about Luke and he looses his temper. They call him 'Lucifer,' Mom, just to taunt him every day. I'm not entirely sure, 'cause he'd be too prideful to ever admit it, but I think I'm his first friend who hasn't shut him out after a week." 

"That's terrible," Mary admitted. "Why should he feel ignored, besides school, though?" 

"Luke's family is religious," Sam explained. "Luke doesn't believe in God and they treat him like he's doing something wrong by being there, so Luke thinks he's a bad person. But he's not, Mom. He's really not. He just tries to hide his stupid feelings behind his attitude!" 

Mary smiled. "I see how you boys relate," she said, causing Sam to frown. "He hides behind attitude, you hide behind kindness." 

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Come again?" 

She sighed. "You're a good person, Sam. And I never said your friend was a bad person, either. But..." She thought for a moment before going on. "Sometimes we need to think hard before we put ourselves in vulnerable positions with friends." Sam's mouth opened to retort, but she shook her head. "Just listen. I'm not saying Luke is a bad influence or a bad friend. But in case he is, don't put all of your faith in him until you get to know him better." She put an arm around her son. "I'm worried about you, Sammy. My baby boy is growing up." 

"Mom. I'm not a baby. I'm in the ninth grade." 

Mary giggled. "That's another thing," she said. "You and your father are as stubborn as mules." 

Sam blinked at her. "Mom, is this conversation supposed to be making me feel better?" he wondered. 

Mary laughed. "Oh, Sammy, I love you so much. You know that, right?" 

Sam sighed and nodded. "Yeah, Mom. I know. I love you too." 

Mary smiled tenderly. "There's my good boy." 

He rolled his eyes. "As always." He sighed. "Now, can I please go to sleep? I'm tired, and I have a test tomorrow in English on poetic elements." 

"Alright," she said with a smile. She stood up but turned around just before she left his bedroom. "Don't you dare think this means you're not grounded, Winchester," she scolded teasingly yet very seriously. 

Sam smiled. "Good night, Mom," he replied. 

"Good night, Sammy." She went out into the hallway, shutting the door to her son's room behind her with a sad sigh. 

 

Dean needed to clear his head. He hadn't seen Cas in days, not since Monday when Luke and Sam had gotten into the fight with Gordon. It only added to Dean's stress, making him feel terribly, terribly guilty. 

Not to mention the fact that he called Sam a freak to his face. 

Damn it, Dean, he cursed himself. Why do you have to go and screw everything up? 

Dean walked to the door. "Mom!" he shouted, not bothering to say Sam's name. "I'm gonna--" He paused, remembering that their Dad had also found the need to go for a drive after the whole thing with Sam earlier that morning. He hadn't come back in over two hours, and Dean wasn't sure when he'd be back. "Uh, I'm gonna go for a walk!" 

"Oh, okay, sweetie," Mary said, entering from the kitchen to the ledge. "Be safe." 

He nodded. "Thanks, Mom." 

"Don't you want to say good-bye to your brother...?" she asked slowly, just before he could slip out the door. 

He winced. "I'd better not," he said quietly. "Um... Later, Mom." He left before she could add anything else. 

Dean kept his hands in his pockets, bitterly yelling at himself. 

Why had he let himself get so mad at Sam? Why? Why? Why did he screw everything up with his first friend in Lawrence, Cas? 

The thought suddenly made Dean annoyed. Cas should've at least called, or come over, or anything! Instead, he was staying at him instead of going to school, and Dean was convinced that Cas had had enough of the Winchesters for the whole year. After how many weeks? 

With Dean's head flooded with angry questions and unwanted answers, he suddenly found himself nowhere near his neighborhood. He looked around, suddenly realizing he should've looked at where he was going instead of glaring at the ground during his whole walk. Now he had no chance of getting home, unless he asked a random person. 

Dean spotted an ice cream stand a few feet away. He brightened a bit and took out a five from his wallet, sauntering forward to stand behind the line of kids. When the group of little kids was all gone, Dean walked up and asked, "Can I have a chocolate cone with rainbow sprinkles?" 

The man shrugged. "Okay, kid," he said in a teasing voice. It made Dean smile. He felt like a little kid again, with his parents and baby Sammy as they got ice cream by the bases their family moved around to. After Dean got his order, he moved off the line to find see something perplexing. 

A little boy was sitting alone, probably nine or ten years old. He had dark black hair, and a somber look on his face. He was holding a circular case for glasses, and he seemed to be depressed over something. 

Dean started to consider going over there, but he decided against it quickly. He had way too many problems right now. He'd probably do the opposite of help if he tried to--

Dean froze as he saw two teenagers, laughing hysterically, walk up to the little boy and start saying stuff. "You're so weird... nerd..." 

Dean's jaw clenched. He walked over to the bench and looked at the two boys as they went on. 

"Shorty," the boy on the left teased. 

"Hey," Dean said. All three boys looked back at him, confused. "Why don't you two pick on someone your own size?" 

"Why don't you shut up?" the one on the right smirked. 

Dean snorted. "Picking a fight with a bigger kid is suicidal, just so you know," he warned. He gestured to the other boy who was sitting. "And, by the way, only total wimps pick on kids who they know won't fight back. So why don't you shut up, and do yourselves a favor?" 

"Oh, yeah?" they said. "You're not gonna hurt us. We're kids! It'd be abuse." 

Dean raised an eyebrow. "I'm seventeen," he said. "Not an adult. Sorry." 

The boys' eyes widened. "Uh, right," they said. They looked at the smaller boy. "See ya, nerd." They walked away. 

The boy who the teenagers had been taunting turned around, showing Dean wide, brown doe-eyes. "You didn't need to do that," the boy said. "My sister says that I need to learn to stand up for myself." 

Dean frowned and sat down. "How're you supposed to stand up for yourself if you don't know how?" he remarked. He shrugged. "Take it from me. I have a little brother, he's thirteen now. He's a total nerd, but he's also a little short. But he doesn't let bigger kids get on his case. You know why?" The boy shook his head. "'Cause when I was younger, I showed him how to. You got that? So, the next time those guys are bothering you, just do what I did. Make 'em realize that they're being total idiots. 'Cause they are. I mean, honestly, what's the point of picking on anyone at all?" 

The boy smiled and put out a hand in an official manor. "I'm Benjamin Braeden. My sister calls my Benny. You could, too, if you like." 

Dean smiled and took his hand. "Dean Winchester." Benny shook Dean's hand half-heartedly. Dean shook his head. "No, that's not how a handshake goes," he insisted in a teasing voice. Benny smiled. "Here, lemme show you." Dean put his hand out again and Benny took it. Dean squeezed his hand tightly and gave him one, hard shake. "It's gotta be professional, when you grow up." 

Benny smiled wide. "Thanks," he said. "For making them back off." 

"Don't mention it, kid," Dean shrugged. He looked around. "Say, where's your family?" 

Benny said, "My sister's supposed to be picking me up from here. My school is right over there." He pointed behind them, to a building that read Lawrence Elementary. 

"Oh, cool, no way!" Dean cried. "I'm in the high school. I'm a twelfth grader. You?" 

"I'm in the fourth grade," Benny explained. He opened the circular case on his lap and put on the round-rimmed, tan glasses. "My big sister is in your school, too. She's seventeen." 

"No way, me too," Dean laughed. He and Benny smiled at each other. Dean paused, realizing the ice cream cone in his hand. "Hey, wanna ice cream?" he asked, gesturing to the stand behind them. "I'll get you one, if you like." 

Benny paused for a moment. "Really?" he asked. "Thanks!" 

Dean stood up, but stopped. "It's okay this time," Dean said. "For me. I'm a friend. But you can't trust everyone, you got that?" 

Benny nodded. "I know. You don't seem like a bad guy, though." 

Dean laughed a bit. "I'm not so sure..." he mumbled. He nodded to the young kid. "C'mon. I'll get whichever one you want if you tell me about yourself. Deal?" 

Benny smiled, a big and happy smile. "Cool! Deal!" he nodded. 

Dean smiled and put his hand on Benny's back, feeling like he was with Sam, back when his brother was young enough to let him spoil him like that. "Let's go." He led Benny to the ice cream stand, where Benny decided to get a coconut fudge-covered pop, which Dean commended him for. 

"Nice taste," Dean said, making Benny smile. They walked back to the bench until Dean said, "Want to walk around the backstops to the baseball field?" He asked, gesturing to around the park. "Maybe burn off a few calories as we eat?" 

Benny nodded. "Sure. If I see my sister we'll come back?" 

"If we see your sister, we will most definitely come right back," Dean agreed. 

Benny followed Dean, the two walking at a slow pace. "So, Benny," Dean said, licking his own ice cream. "Have you live in Kansas long?" 

"My whole life," Benny said. "How about you, Dean?" 

"Me? Nah, my family moves 'round a lot," Dean explained. "My Dad's an ex-Marine, but he's still serving." 

"It must be lonely to move around so much," Benny said slowly, making Dean think about Sam. 

Dean nodded. "It is a little. But you make friends at the military bases. My Dad has this one friend, Bobby Singer, who runs an auto shop just off of a base in the east. He taught me mechanics." 

"What's that?" 

Dean stopped. "Seriously? Mechanics, like cars! I could fix just 'bout any car, but the car I got, my Dad's 1967 Chevy Impala? That's the car I love the most. But I've always had a thing for cars." 

"Cool," Benny said. "I like helicopters. They're real loud, though, I think. At least, from what I've seen on the tv..." 

"They are loud," Dean said, smiling. 

"You've seen a helicopter?" Benny cried in amazement. 

Dean laughed and nodded. "My brother and I, like I said, moved around from military base to military base. We've seen all sorts of crazy stuff!" Dean started going into a long, detailed story about the time when Sam got to take a ride in a helicopter. 

"Sam was crying his eyes out," Dean went on with a laugh. "He was younger than you are, probably eight. He went nuts, and we had to go down before he threw a fit. They had to bring him down before he was barely up. He's not afraid of heights anymore, but--"   
"Did you get to go up?" Benny asked eagerly. 

Dean's face paled. "Er, no. I passed." 

"Huh? What--that's nuts!" Benny cried. "Why would you do that?" 

"Um... I... I have this thing with heights," Dean explained awkwardly. 

Benny stared at him. "You're afraid of heights?" he demanded. 

"Not necessarily," Dean said slowly. "I just don't like flying. It makes me feel unsafe. Why do you think I like cars so much? The closer I am to the ground, the safer." 

"Well, I think--" 

"Benny!" a voice suddenly shouted, and the two boys looked in front of them, to find a very, very pissed off girl who was also in tears. "Oh--oh, my God, I... I thought you--" 

"Oh, shit," Dean whispered, stopping in his tracks as he got a good look at the girl, who was probably Benny's big sister. It was the girl. From his studyhall! The hot, smart girl who called him 'hotshot,' told him to go screw himself, and had yelled at him repeatitively. It was Lisa! 

"You!" Lisa shouted, storming at Dean. "What do you have to say for yourself?" She wiped tears from her eyes and her fists clenched. "You can't just take my little brother! Look, I know you're a butthead, but that was just--" 

"Lisa," Benny complained. "He--" 

"--completely irresponsible!" Lisa finished. She looked over to her brother and bent down. "Benny, what have I told you about talking to strangers?" 

"Dean's not a stranger, he's my friend," Benny said firmly. "He got those mean kids to leave me alone." 

Lisa's eyebrows furrowed and she glared up at Dean, still unrelenting. "Well... I'll meet you in the car, Benny." 

"Lisa, don't get mad at Dean," Benny insisted. "It was all my--" 

"No it wasn't," Dean interrupted. "Benny, just go to the car. It'll be fine." 

Benny frowned. "But, Dean... We didn't get to finish talking about the helicopters!"   
Dean sighed. "It's okay. Maybe next time we'll get to finish talking about my annoying fear of flying. But, until then, you ought to listen to your sis." 

Lisa was staring at Dean uneasily, as if wondering if he was messing with them. But then Benny shrugged and started to go away to the car. "Okay. Bye, Dean." 

"Later, Benny," Dean said, catching Lisa's attention. Benny went to the car and Lisa frowned. 

"I'm the only one who gets to call him Benny," Lisa said venomously. 

Dean raised an eyebrow. "Okay, look," he said slowly. "I didn't know he was your brother--" 

"Yeah right," Lisa snorted. "You guys are all the same. Next thing you know, you were gonna ask me out with some cheesy--" 

"I'm not like that!" Dean cried. Lisa frowned and he paused. "Okay, I am like that--irregardless! I didn't talk to Benny just because he was your brother. I didn't know, okay? Besides, he was telling me that his sister--you, I guess--told him that he needs to stand up for himself." Lisa nodded. Dean sneered. "That's bullshit. If you want a kid to stand up to a bully, you have to let him know how to stand up for himself." 

Lisa rolled his eyes. "Like you know anything about kids." 

"In fact, I do," Dean crossed his arms. "I happen to have a little brother. Sam." 

Lisa's face contorted. "Sam? The new kid? The sweet ninth grader who's always with Jess, Ruby and Cas's and Jimmy's little brother, Luke? That Sam?" 

"Yup," Dean said, smiling. "He's my little brother." He paused. "He's a little pissed at me right now, but..." He frowned. "Never mind. Point is, don't tell a kid to stand up for himself without showing him how to. For future references." 

Lisa shifted uncomfortably. "Uh. Thanks. I guess." 

Dean shrugged, feeling awkward too. "You're welcome. Now. Do you mind telling me how to get back to our school? I don't exactly know how I got here. I took a walk trying to think, and I sorta got lost. That's when I found your brother getting bullied by some older kids." 

Lisa shrugged and gave him a rough set of directions, which he memorized easily. 

"Thanks," Dean told her. He started to walk away. "Tell Benny I said--" 

Just then, Benny emerged. Lisa said, "Benjamin! I told you to--" 

Dean frowned at Benny walked over to him. "Benny, you need to--" 

Benny put his arms around Dean's waist and shut his eyes. "Thank you, Dean. I was having a bad day until you helped me." 

Dean smiled and ruffled Benny's hair, thinking of Sam for the tenth time. "Don't mention it, Benny." 

Lisa was staring, wide-eyed, as Benny let go of Dean and turned to his sister. "Now I'll go to the car." He walked to the edge of the park and they watched him get into a small car. 

Lisa crossed her arms and looked at Dean. "How did you do that?" she demanded, flustered. 

Dean smirked. "I've got a thing for kids. I'll tell you tomorrow." He gave her a nod and started leaving. "Later, Lisa." 

"Um... B-bye, Dean!" he heard her call after him. He smiled to himself as he made his way home, feeling content with making somebody's day a good one, whether it was a nine-year-old nerdy kid or not.


	9. Future Plans

On Friday, Dean was sitting against the edge of the Impala, eyes closed as he leaned against the hood of the car, waiting to drive Sam to school. They still weren't talking, and it tore at Dean every time he saw the betrayal in the kid's eyes. Dean still couldn't believe he'd called his brother that dreadful thing--a freak. 

The car was cold to the touch, due to the mid-September weather. Dean was nodding along to a tape that played in Impala, from one of his favorite Metallica albums. When, suddenly, a voice interrupted him. 

"That is very interesting music, Dean." 

Dean looked up and spotted Cas. He frowned in annoyance and leaned his head back down. "What?" he asked, closing his eyes. "You don't like Devil's Dance?" 

Cas shrugged. "It's enjoyable, I must admit. The beats are particularly fun." 

Dean sat up on the hood of the Impala and frowned at his friend. "Cas, what are you doing here?" 

"P-pardon?" 

"I thought you were avoiding me, or something," Dean frowned. 

Cas frowned and shook his head. "I wouldn't ever avoid you, Dean. My family had personal matters to attend to." Dean rolled his eyes and Cas looked down. "Besides Luke and Sam's...escapade. Something came up." 

"Like what?" Dean asked. 

"My older sister was admitted to the hospital about an hour after school ended on Monday for being too intoxicated." 

Dean stood up in shock. "What? Whoa, is Anna alright?" 

Cas nodded with a sad look in his eyes. "She'll manage. But Uncle Zach is trying to force her to come home. She's telling him that she's an adult and he can't control her, however. They're being rather difficult with each other." 

Dean paused and stared at Cas. "I'm sorry, Cas," he said quietly. "I didn't mean to upset you or anything. I just... it's been a hard week, and then you just up and disappeared in my time of need, man! And, jeez, I guess we both just didn't figure to pick up a phone..." 

Cas shrugged. "It's alright, Dean. I forgive you. And if you'd forgive me..." 

"There's nothin' for you to be sorry for," Dean said. "But yeah. I forgive you anyway." He smiled and walked around the car and clicked off the music system. "That's enough Reload for one sitting, dontcha think, Cas?" 

"I don't follow." 

"God, I need to get you into classic rock," Dean said. He smiled at the idea of Cas listening to Metallica in front of a stereo system, bobbing his head. Talk about a funny thought. 

Just then, Sam got out of the house. "Hi, Cas," he said. 

"Hello, Sam," Cas nodded. 

Sam got into the Impala, not even passing Dean a glance. Cas looked at Dean with curiosity, but Dean shook his head. Don't bother. Dean got into the driver's seat of the Impala, and Cas went into the back seat with Sam, the two of them plopping their backpacks on the front seat. Dean put his backpack next to theirs and he sighed. "Alright. Here we go." He started the car and went to school. 

 

During first period, Dean tapped aganist his desk with his pen. The bell hadn't wrung yet, and he didn't know what to do with all of his energy. And then Jo, the fiesty girl from his first day, looked over at him and spoke. 

"How's the weather treatin' ya?" she asked in a teasing way. 

Dean smirked and placed down his pen. He gave her a sly smile, on purpose, and said, "Depends how it's treatin' you, sweeetheart." 

Jo stared at him and then they both suddenly burst out laughing. Jo shook her head and turned to face him. "Seriously? Does that line literally work on girls?" she questioned. 

"You'd be surprised," Dean agreed. 

She sighed. "Oh, teenage girls. So naiive to guys like Dean Winchester. So sad." 

They both smiled at each other for a long while. Then, Jo said, "So, what's new, Winchester?" 

"Nothin' much," Dean said slowly. He wasn't sure why he was about to tell her, but he did anyway. "My baby brother got into a fight." 

Jo stared at him. "No way," she said. "Sam? How did this--I mean, I heard that there was a fight between two ninth graders and an eleventh grader, Gordon Walker, I think, but... I didn't think it would be Sam--" 

"You know my brother?" Dean asked. 

She nodded. "He's in my studyhall class. He's always doing work. He's so smart. I didn't take him for a troublemaker, like you..." She sounded serious, yet with a bit of a joke in her voice. 

"Oh," Dean said. "He's not as fun as me, if that's what you're thinkin'." He smirked. "Sammy's a total nerd, yeah. But something's gotten into him lately, and I..." Called him a freak. And now I hate myself. Because he's been ignoring me. And I can't take back what I said. 

"Hey," Jo said, snapping him out of it. "Every teenager goes through it. The rebellion-phase. You, for instance, were probably doin' it at, what, nine? You look like the kind of kid who listens." 

Dean stared. "I do? But--yeah, how'd you know I was nine--" 

"Lucky guess," Jo shrugged. "But, Dean, I don't think you're helping the situation with your brother much by still calling him your 'baby' brother. He's a freshman." She patted Dean on the shoulder, while he looked perplexed. "He's growin' up, Dean. Try to keep up." The bell rang as soon as she said it, and then she turned around to look at Mr. Henrikson. 

 

Sam couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Luke sitting in homeroom. "Luke, where ya been?" Sam asked, setting his backpack next to his desk. He paused. "C-Cas told me what happened. I'm so, so sorry. Is your sister alright?" 

Luke looked up at Sam. "Uh. Yeah. She's fine, she's..." he shrugged. "Getting reprimanded by our uncle because of one mistake that nearly got her killed." 

Sam was about to say something comforting, but Luke went on. "I mean, what's the point in drinking? Anna believes in God, I don't, I should be the one who does that kind of a thing. It's a sin, to drink like that, or whatever! She shouldn't be the one getting in trouble, it's supposed to be me! If I get in trouble, at least my sister won't--" Luke stopped and shook his head. "Just..." He looked down at his desk and stared bitterly. 

Sam sat down at his desk and looked at his friend. "I'm sorry it all sucks," Sam said. 

Luke snorted. "Well, don't sugarcoat it." 

Sam sighed. "Seriously. I'm sorry. I hope it all works out in the end." 

"Probably won't," Luke said with a sigh. "But what can ya do?" He sighed and shook his head. "Nothin', that's what." 

"I--" 

"Oh, three o'clock," Luke warned, in the same way he had for the weeks in the past. 

Sam's eyes widened and he turned to see the girls walking over. Jess sat down on Sam's desk, and Ruby glared at Luke. 

"What is the point of me trying to help you get this girl to really talk to you if you're gonna be absent for an entire week!" Ruby snapped. "Seriously, Luke, we all got scared! Thought your uncle did something stupid." Luke shrugged, but Sam and Jess looked at each other, exchanging confused looks. "If you keep this up, she might end up thinking you're a bad guy--" 

"I am a bad guy," Luke replied angrily at her. "So good. Maybe the world can take a hint after this. I don't need anybody." He looked at the three of them around him. "Anybody!" 

Ruby frowned. "You're not a bad guy, Luke," she said quietly.   
He snorted. "Yeah, right--" 

"I mean it," Ruby said with a serious tone that made Luke stare at her. She sighed. "You're a good guy, Luke. Becky..." She smiled a bit. "Becky won't know what hit her when she gets an awesome guy like you." They both blinked at each other, and there was a silence. 

"Um, Sam," Jess said, trying to break the ice. "How's your brother?" 

Sam shrugged. "I dunno. I mean... we're not really talking." 

"What?" Ruby asked. "Since when? He was cool." 

Sam glanced at Luke and then averted his eyes when Luke realized. "Um, we got into a fight over something. No big deal. Brother-stuff." 

Luke frowned. "Sam," he said. "You shouldn't of done that." 

"It was worth it," Sam insisted, looking at Luke. His friend rolled his eyes. "I'm not lying, Luke. It was so worth it. I told my parents to back off for once, and I think, yeah, I'm grounded, but... baby steps? Soon they'll listen to me." 

Jess smiled. "That's great, Sam--" 

"But, I think Jess was more interested in the subject you've both been avoiding since Monday," Ruby intervened, making Jess and Sam blush. "Do you want Luke and me to leave you alone so you can flirt 'n do all that stuff?" 

Sam frowned. Since he and Dean weren't speaking to each other, Dean hadn't showed him his supposed 'flirting skills.' He felt nervous now that Ruby had brought it up. But he felt like he was going to pass out from stress when Ruby didn't let Sam and Jess answer, just pinching Luke and getting him to follow her to the other side of the room. Sam and Jess watched them go. There was a long, uncomfortable silence. 

"So..." Jess spoke first. She gulped. "H-how are you?" 

Sam stared at her. "I'm okay," he said. "How are..." He stopped and took a deep breath. That's it, Sam, he thought to himself. You are not doing this awkward thing with her anymore--just ask her. She already hinted, she likes you. JUST. ASK. HER. 

"Um, I'm good too," Jess said, tilting her head at Sam, who hadn't finished his sentence. 

Sam bit down on his lip. "Um, Jess?" he asked. 

"Y-yeah, Sam?" she asked. 

Sam looked up at her. With her pretty blonde hair and kind eyes, he felt like the world was about to melt around him. "Uh... I was... I was sorta wondering if you'd, you know, m-maybe..." He tried to figure out what he was even saying. Sam swallowed hard, feeling Jess stare at him with wide eyes. "You... D-do you wanna go out with me?" he asked. "O-on a date?" 

Jess's mouth dropped, forming a proper 'O,' and Sam felt his chest getting heavy. She's about to say 'no,' isn't she? 

Jess only looked down at her shoes shyly. "Sam, I already told you. I'm gonna move soon. That's not exactly fair to you." 

Sam shook his head. "I already told you. I'm not gonna just forget about you. Not ever." He tilted his head. "Moving aside, w-would you?" 

Jess raised an eyebrow at Sam. "Are you kidding me?" she burst out. Sam felt every morsel of hope fade. But then she said, "Duh!" She giggled and he stared in awe. 

A smile appeared on Sam's face. "Wait, so--" 

"Yeah, I guess we could," Jess said. "Well, I'd have to ask my parents, but... they'll be okay, I think. I don't think they'll deprive me from a first date with a guy just because I got slightly into a fight." 

"I'm not so sure about mine," Sam said slowly. "I kinda yelled at my Dad..." 

"You what?" 

Sam winced. Thinking about the disappointment his Dad had shown made him want to curl up in a ball in cry, but Sam held on. "Uh, he was trying to dictate what I do. Again. And I snapped. For the first time in years, I told him that he can't control what I do, and I ended up yelling at my parents." 

"Oh," was all that Jess replied. 

"Um, yeah. Not my finest hour," Sam admitted. He looked up at her nervously. "But... still wanna go?" 

"Of course I do, Sam," Jess smiled. "You're, like, the sweetest guy I know." Sam blushed. "And you're adorable. That too." 

Sam snorted. "I thought I looked like a Moose." 

She stared as he laughed at her expression. "Isn't that what that Crowley kid calls you?" she asked, smiling now. "I know what he means--you're such a little moose, but it's cute. If only you had antlers." She patted his head, as if checking. 

Sam ducked away. "I think I'd be a little less appealing to talk to if I had antlers." 

"I'd think they were cute, nonetheless," Jess replied, very, very giggly. 

Sam grinned at her. "I'm not cute," he insisted, laughing. 

"You're adorable." 

"You sound like my mother." 

"She's very wise." 

Sam buried his face in his hands, feeling his face go red as he laughed. He couldn't believe this was happening. First he finally asked Jess out, and now she was calling him adorable? 

Just then, Luke and Ruby came back. "Hey, do you guys mind not flirting anymore?" Luke asked. "I know Ruby and I were sorta pushing you to finally do something, but... class is about to start, and I want my desk back. 

Ruby shoved Luke. "You're insensitive," she teased with a smile. 

Luke shoved her back. "You're a pain in the ass. Looks like we're equal." 

Jess stood up from Sam's desk. "Um, better go, Sam. Bye." She smiled, and Sam smiled back dreamily. She went back to her desk, Ruby following, and Sam sighed. 

"Oh, dear God," Luke said exasperatedly. "You look like a cliche teenager from one of those young adult novels." He looked around and then back at Sam. "Did you steal my pen, Sam?" 

"Why on Earth would I steal your pen? You chew the caps." 

"Point taken. Can I borrow your pen?" 

"Will you promise to not eat it?" 

"Sure." Sam gave Luke a pen. "Then again, I'm a bad influence. I suck at promises." Sam shot him a look and Luke winked back. "Kidding, Sammy."


	10. Motherly or Brotherly Love?

Cas walked into studyhall to find Dean talking. That was normal, considering that it was Dean. But... it was who Dean was talking to was what caught him off guard. 

Dean was talking to Lisa Braeden, the best friend of Jimmy's girlfriend. Jimmy was sitting right in front of Dean, staring at the two as they talked about some unknown subject. Dean said something to make Lisa laugh, and Jimmy snorted with a smile. Cas walked over around then. 

"Hey, Cas," Dean said, turning. "How's it goin'?" He gave Cas a worried look, which made Cas wish he hadn't told Dean at all about Anna. 

The past few days had made this week the longest of his life. He still remembered Michael calling up the house, telling Luke what happened over the phone. He also remembered that Michael was Anna's first family-contact, not the actual house. The whole thing--especially when Uncle Zach went psycho on Anna--made Cas want to rip them all to shreds so he didn't have to hear them talk anymore. He was tired of the talk and exhausted with the yelling. Always the yelling. 

"I am well, Dean," Cas said. 

"Do you have any idea of how to make him drink cough syrup of ibuprofen?" Lisa asked Dean. "When he gets sick, he's so stubborn." 

Dean looked at her. "Give him two dollars, and make him promise to take it for two days. It always works. But don't ever give the money until after he's taken it twice, or however long he's s'pposed to. Oh, or you could put sprinkles on it. My mom used to do that for me when I was the kid." 

Lisa laughed, a real and pleasant laugh. "I wonder if you were one of those chubby kids. You must've been--" 

"No way," Dean insisted, his face turning a bit red. "I was one of the cool kids." 

"I bet you were," she said sarcastically with a roll of the eyes. 

"I totally was," Dean laughed right back at her. "I was, like, a mechanic since I was ten. I could fix cars already, and I already had a killer reputation with--" 

"If you say 'the ladies,'" Lisa giggled. "I forbid your friendship with my little brother from ever taking off." 

Dean replied, "Just try 'n stop me." He grinned at her while she rolled her eyes. "C'mon, admit it. You like me." 

"Oh, do I?" she asked, sarcasm dripping from her voice. But Cas heard a bit of a joking tone there, too, and it made him smile that Lisa and Dean were acting in such a funny way. Like they were friends. Cas suddenly wondered how such a thing happened--just a little over a week ago they had been at each other's throats! 

Dean laughed. "Yes. And if you want me to teach you more stuff on how to control your kid brother, you might as well agree to letting me take you out Saturday night." 

Lisa frowned a bit. "Um--" 

"I meant with Benny, too," Dean said. "If... that's what was making you uncomfortable." 

Lisa stared at Dean, and Cas suddenly felt like he was intruding on a special moment. "I..." Lisa shook his head in disbelief. "Dean Winchester, you surprise me. A lot." 

Dean smirked. "Good or bad?" 

She stared at him, and her next words decided both of their fates forever. "Good," Lisa said. "Definitely good." 

He grinned at her. "Should I take that as a yes?" 

"Well, I don't see why not," Lisa said. "Benny already worships you. Not like he'd ever say no to it." 

"So, it's a date!" Dean cried. His face turned red and his face fell automatically. "I-I mean--" 

Lisa laughed, her head tilting back. "Call it what you want." She smiled at him. "Just remember my baby brother will be there." Then she turned to Jimmy and Cas, who were gaping at the two of them. "Hello, boys. Do you mind if I do my homework?" They shook their heads. With one last smile at the three of them, she opened her binder and was engrossed in her work. 

"Dean," Jimmy said, making Cas's friend turn around. "What the heck happened?" 

Dean smiled. "No girl can resist my charms," he said. 

"Mmhm," Lisa muttered. 

Dean rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay. I was giving her advice on how to deal with kids. She has a little brother who she doesn't know how to deal with all that well." 

"I take perfect care of my brother!" Lisa snapped, feigning offense. 

Dean turned around. "And here I was thinking you wanted to do your homework." Lisa glared at him and he winked. "Thought so." Dean turned back to Jimmy and Cas. "So. How have you two been?" 

"Fine," Jimmy said. He avoided the obvious conversation of Anna automatically. "How was your week? What were you doing without us?" 

"Well, besides having a fight with my brother," Dean said slowly, looking beween the twins. "Nothing much. I hung out a little with Lisa's little brother, Benny. Didn't know she was his sister until she ambushed me with insults. Then I told her about what I know about kids and she shut up." 

"I heard that." 

Dean smirked to himself. "How 'bout you, Jimmy? I heard about what happened. I'm sorry," he said quietly. 

Jimmy smiled. "Thanks Dean. But, uh... I think and Cas should talk. You seem to have been separated long enough." He turned, leaving the two friends to converse. 

Dean was about to ask Cas about his day when Cas said, "Dean, I still want to go." 

Dean blinked at Cas, for a moment not understanding. Finally, he caught on. "Cas." 

"Dean," Cas retorted, surprising Dean with the sudden comeback. 

"I thought I told you that you shouldn't start following after Meg," Dean whispered to Cas. "She's bad news, Cas. You don't get it." 

"Why?" Cas demanded, his eyebrows furrowing. "I don't understand." 

She's worse than I am, Dean thought. And that's saying a lot. I forget about girls within a week at least. 

Dean wanted to say it. He wanted so, so badly to say to his friend, She's a flirt, and she's just going to ruin your last year of high school if you end up liking her too much. But, instead, Dean found himself looking at Cas's wide, innocent blue eyes that were pleading and hopeful. "Cas, I don't want you to get hurt." 

Cas frowned. "I'm not going to get hurt, Dean. I... I can take care of myself," he huffed. He was holding himself up with visibly fake confidence. 

"Right," Dean said with a lazy smile. "I know you can, Cas..." He sighed. "I must be outta my mind," he said with a shake of his head. 

"Why?" Cas's face lit up. "You'll go? Honestly?" 

Dean smiled bleakly. "I don't see much of a choice. You seem to really like this girl, but... Cas, promise me something?" 

"What, Dean? Of course, anything!" 

Dean sighed. "Don't do anything you're gonna regret." 

Cas shrugged, not completely understanding, yet comforted by the fact that Dean cared so much. "Of course, Dean. I promise." 

"Okay, Cas," Dean sighed. "Get ready. Tonight's gonna be the craziest night of your life." 

"Why is that?" 

Dean clapped him on the back. "I'm gonna take you to your first high school party to meet a girl. Can't get any crazier than that, can it?" He smiled, and Cas smiled back. But Dean couldn't help but feel doubt that his blissfully innocent friend was about to get his heart broken in ways that Dean just couldn't explain in words. 

 

That night, Sam felt his heart beating inside of his chest. He still had to bring up the question to his parents, but he had no clue how--Hey, Mom, hey Dad! Can Dean drive me to my friend Jess's house so I can take her out for a date that we barely talked about? Oh, and, by the way, Jess just happens to be one of the prettiest girls on the whole planet and she drives me nuts when she smiles and I just can't get her smile out of my mind! 

Sam glared at himself in the mirror, feeling confusion set over him. "Jess's a nut," he mumbled, looking at himself. "I'm not adorable at all. I'm a Moose." 

Just then, Mary opened the door, ducking her head in. "Did I just hear you say 'I'm not adorable?'" She had a raised eyebrow of accusation while Sam blushed.   
"Mom!" Sam shouted. "Ever heard of knocking?" he asked. 

Mary cracked a smile. She walked inside and shut the door behind her. "Honey, do we need to have a talk?" 

"No, Mom, thanks," Sam rushed out, a little too quickly. 

She sighed. "Sammy, there's no reason to be nervous. You're a teenager. These things happen all the time, liking girls. Just look at your brother." Mary winced as soon as she said it, and so did Sam. He and Dean still had barely said a word to each other since Monday, and it was already Friday. Mary shook her head. "Anyway. Do you want me to talk to about--" 

"Nooooo, Mom, thanks, I'm perfectly okay," Sam insisted. "You can go now." 

She crossed her arms and gave him one of her I-don't-think-so looks. "Sam Winchester, tell me her name right now or so help me I will make Dean get it out of you with a tickle-ambush. Then we'll see how you keep your cool then." 

Sam blushed and he looked down at his feet. "Her name is Jess..." he mumbled. 

"And she called you adorable?" Sam smiled to himself, answering her question. "Sammy, have you considered taking your brother's advice, maybe, and going on a date with this girl? If she called you adorable I think--" 

"I did," Sam said. He saw a look of shock on his Mom's face and he shook his head. "I mean--I didn't plan to. I..." He winced. "It was sorta Dean's fault. But, I'm okay with it." He grinned. "I think she likes me, Mom." 

"Of course she likes you," Mary teased. "You're my son. Nobody could ever not like you, Sam! You silly goose." She ruffled his hair and he swatted her away until she was laughing. "Oh, my, you've grown up so much in the past few weeks. High school is turning you into more of a man than ever." She smiled brightly as Sam turned a bit red. "So, tell me more about Jess! What's she like?" 

"Moooooommmm," Sam complained. "This is what I was afraid of--you and Dad asking me random questions about--" 

"I'm your mother, I reserve the right to know who's dating my sons," Mary sassed him. "What's she like?" 

Sam smiled. "She's really, really nice. And she's like me, with wanting to become a lawyer some day! And, also, she was..." He paused, wondering if he should tell her. Finally, he shrugged. "Remember, um, when I got into the fight on Monday?"   
"Mhmm," she replied unenthusiastically. 

"Um, when I got shoved, I woke up and found out Jess got a full-day suspension, too, because apparently she got really mad at Gordon when he did that to me." He smirked. "I think she hurt Gordon more than Luke did, which is saying a lot, since they were sort of wrestling for a good ten minutes at least." 

Mary laughed. "She sounds wonderful. Not that I appreciate the fighting, but I'm glad she's a sweet girl." She stopped. "Has Dean met her?" 

"Yeah, when we were in the main office," Sam said. 

"Ohhhhhh," Mary blurted out. "Dean said there was a really, really nervous girl in the office and a laid-back one." 

"That was Jess and Ruby," Sam said. "Ruby's Jess's best friend. They're sort of opposite, but they're cool. And Ruby's trying to be Cupid for Luke and this girl, Becky, for some reason. I think she enjoys his awkwardness around her. She likes seeing him nervous, I guess. He's usually so calm, well not calm but... you know what I mean?" Sam stopped himself from going on, realizing that he'd begun to ramble on. "Oops," he said. "Sorry." 

Mary smiled. "You have three good friends," she observed. "Even if one of them did resort to violence to solve problems." 

"He was protecting us," Sam promised her. "Gordon, um..." He blushed. "Remember how I said he made fun of me and my friend? He teased Jess and me when she hugged me." 

Mary laughed. "Honey, is this conversation going to lead to you asking me to take her out or not?" She was smiling at him all-knowingly. 

Sam smiled a bit. "Mom, please? Can I preeeettttyyyyy please go on a date with Jess? I know I'm grounded, and--well, she is too, but... It'll be her first date, too, and she says her parents wouldn't punish her that much, and I'm sorta thankful for that, 'cause I really like her and--" 

"Okay, Sammy," Mary giggled. She leaned over and kissed his forehead. "You can go on your date." She grinned with a teasing look. "Just maybe ask your brother how to control your nervousness when you're there. You talk when you get scared." 

Sam blushed. "Yes, Mom," he said. 

"Good," Mary smiled. "Now, go to bed, Sam." 

Sam nodded, but paused. "Hey, Mom? Where's Dean?" 

Mary said, "I believe your brother went to a party with his friend, Cas. Why?" 

Sam shrugged. "Nothin'. I was just..." Hoping he'd let me explain that I didn't want us to ignore each other for the rest of our lives? 

Anger heated up in Sam. But he did call me a freak. And he yelled at me about 'following Dad's orders.' Face it, Sam. He doesn't to nor will he talk to you again. You both messed up. 

That night, Sam went to bed with two feelings in his stomach. One of them was giddiness, for he couldn't wait to tell Jess his mother said yes to letting him go on a date with her. The other was sadness, because Sam couldn't help but wish his brother was next to him to tease him about the first date he'd ever have. Besides. The fact that Sam liked Jess so much scared even him, and... and he didn't even know how to kiss a girl!


	11. The Party

Dean shut the door of the Impala and leaned against the car, waiting for Cas to get out. When his friend did, Dean locked the doors and did another check to make sure none of his or Cas's belongings were visible. When he clarified this, Dean was finally satisfied. He led Cas to the house where an umistakable party with very, very loud music was playing. It was Meg Master's house, and Dean still couldn't believe he and Cas were there. He couldn't believe Cas had talked him into this.

Dean also couldn't believe that his father had let him take the Impala. Sure, his father had said, "Get a scratch on that car and you're fixin' it, kid," but he hadn't asked about where he and Cas were going. Maybe it was because John knew Cas was one of the innocent kids, and didn't figure out that where Dean and Cas were headed to was the opposite of Cas's usual corner of the world. 

Dean walked closer to the house and smelled alcohol as soon as he went up to the porch. Figures. 

Luckily, Dean had called Jo, pretty much the only person he trusted with this sort of thing so far in this town who had the capability to drive. He'd asked her to come to the party to make sure he didn't drink too much, since he already knew he'd end up drinking. Every time Dean went to a party and was determined not to, it all fell to Hell. He knew there wasn't much of a point in denying, so he just called a friend most of the time to make him stop when it was getting too much. 

Dean glanced back at Cas one more time before knocking on the door. Directly after school, Cas and Dean had gone to Cas's house to do some major help on Cas's wardrobe. Usually Dean could care less about that kind of thing. But Cas's situation was a lot more difficult than most cases. 

"You can't go to a party to see a girl who you have a mutual attraction to wearing a suit and a trench coat," Dean had insisted. "This isn't Law and Order, Cas. This is high school." Cas hadn't, yet again, 'understood that reference,' but Dean just told him that they needed to find Cas something to wear besides the suit. 

After going back and forth between Dean's and Cas's houses, Dean finally decided to lend Cas a Black Sabbath t-shirt he'd gotten from John. Cas was wearing jeans that belong to his twin brother, and Dean swore that if Jimmy was standing right next to Cas, he wouldn't be able to tell the difference if he hadn't been wearing his shirt. 

Cas looked exceptionally different than normal. Sure, his eyes, blue and wide and innocent as usual, were darting around with a common nervousness that could be expected from a virgin who was about to meet a girl at a party. He was still wearing his trench coat, that habit Dean couldn't shake off of him, but it was unbottoned, showing the new shirt. With plain blue jeans and the new look, Cas seemed like a normal teenager. He'd even tucked the necklace with the cross underneath his shirt, without Dean even mentioning it. It was like Cas wanted to look like a normal kid, and Dean found that a little amusing. Who would've thought that a guy from a religious family, one who never seemed to disagree with them, had a silent want to be normal? 

Dean asked, "Are you ready?" 

Cas only shrugged. "I suppose. I'm a little nervous." 

Dean nodded. "That happens around girls for your first time of actually talking to them. Don't worry, you get a little bit more comfortable with the idea of it after a while." 

Cas nodded, as if he understood. But Dean saw the look of confusion in his eyes. 

Dean shook his head. I am so gonna regret this. He knocked on the door and a random kid their age opened it. 

"Yo, Dean!" the kid cried, and Dean recognized him as one of the guys from his phys-ed class, the one who always yelled 'yo, Dean,' and 'wassup, man?' 

Dean nodded at the kid who he didn't even know the name of, before walking into the house with a gesture to Cas to follow. The kid shut the door behind him and then said, "Wassup, man?" 

Dean hid a smirk. Called it. "Nothin' much. How's it goin'?" 

"Eh," the boy shrugged in return. "It's cool. Hey, but I didn't think you'd make it! Glad ya came. Sierra's been askin' 'bout you." 

Dean smiled to himself. Sierra was one of the girls from his math class, the one he usually made flirty comments to. He'd stopped doing that after the whole thing with Lisa and Benny, though. His mind had gotten lost on Lisa, and Benny too. Mostly Lisa. 

Just then, Cas poked Dean. "Um, I'm..." He looked around. "I'm gonna try to find Meg, okay?" 

Dean gulped. "Okay, Cas. Be careful, you hear me?" 

Cas shrugged, nodding. "Yes, Dean. I will. Bye, okay?"  
"Later," Dean nodded at him. Cas walked deeper into the crowded house. 

The kid in front of Dean snorted. "What's that nerd doin' here? Isn't he some sort of church-kid?" 

"Cas's cool," Dean said defensively. "Lay off of 'em, will ya? He's my friend." 

The kid put his hands up in defense. "Whatever you say, Winchester." 

Dean didn't understand how the guy knew his name, but he didn't have a clue who he was. "What's your name again?" Dean asked. 

"Ash!" 

"Right," Dean said. "Sorry 'bout that." 

Ash shrugged. "No prob, man. Hey, wanna drink?" He waved his red plastic cup in the air, for all to see. 

Dean looked around. He couldn't tell if Jo was there or not yet. "Nah, not yet. Just got here, you know what I mean?" 

"Totally," Ash agreed, even though Dean didn't even know what he had meant. 

"Look, I'm gonna go look for my friend Jo. She promised to--" 

Ash jumped. "Whoa--Jo Harvelle? That Jo?" Dean nodded. Ash snorted. "I was wondering why she was here! C'mere, I'll bring ya to her." 

"Thanks," Dean said, following Ash. He wasn't sure if Ash was drunk and misguiding him, but he took the chance anyway. To his astonishment, Dean found Jo plopped onto the sofa in the living room of the house, reading a magazine. 

"Hey," Ash said to Jo. "This guy yours?" He pushed Dean forward. 

Jo looked up and brightened. "Not exactly. Thanks, though, Ash." 

Ash nodded at her. "Don't mention it, 'cos." He winked at Dean and said, "I'll leave ya to it." He walked away. 

Dean stared at Jo. "Did he just call you 'cos'? As in cousin?" 

Jo laughed. "Theeeee one and only." 

"He's your cousin," Dean said. "Ash?" 

"You got a problem with that?" Jo dared teasingly. 

"Nah, whatever," Dean shrugged. "Let's just get this over with." He started towards the kitchen and Jo followed. They found a vacant spot and Jo leaned against the counter. Dean faced her, and saw an open fridge with other kids around it. He walked over and said, "Two?" 

"Sure, Winchester," a random guy Dean didn't know handed him two beers, and Dean walked back to Jo with them. 

"Does everyone in this school know my name?" Dean asked, handing Jo her drink. Jo turned to the counter, took a bottle opener from the countertop, and popped open the lid. She handed it to Dean and he popped his open too. 

"You've earned quite the name for yourself," Jo admitted. She took a swig of her bottle and Dean did the same. 

"What's that mean?" Dean asked. 

Jo shrugged. "Heard you've been hangin' out with that Braeden girl and her brother. Nobody's gotten her to become less uptight since the seventh grade, when her p--" 

"Dean!" a sudden squeal came from out of nowhere. "Oh, my God, I am sooooo glad you made it!" It was Sierra, the girl from Dean's classes. 

"Hey," Dean said, nodding at her. "Uh, you mind? Five minutes? I was talkin' to Jo." He gestured to Jo, who was leaning agains the counter nonchallantly. 

Sierra looked at Jo and up and down, as if sizing her up. Before Dean understood what he'd done, Sierra sneered. "Seriously? Her?" 

Jo rolled her eyes. "Find some other guy to get into your pants. Sorry that I'm holding a conversation with him instead of groping him." 

Sierra rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Don't need this." She walked away. 

Dean tilted his head and Jo. "You are such a confusing person," he admitted. "Yet I love how you tell people off like that." 

Jo laughed. "Yeah?" She sipped her beer like one of Dean's guy-friends would, not gingerly at all like a normal girl. "It's called having balls. You should get 'em sometime." 

Dean laughed and she laughed with him. The party went by pretty quickly, for him. But for Cas... 

 

About thirty minutes into the party, Cas nearly gave up. It was as if Meg hadn't even been at the party at all, which made no sense, since it was her house. He was feeling suddenly frustrated and decided to go to the bathroom.

He went upstairs after being directed there by a strangely impolite fellow student, and then went towards the door. But then a familiar voice behind him said, "Well, lookie who showed up! Glad you're here, Clarence." 

Cas turned around to see Meg leaning against the opposite wall. He smiled at her. "Hi, Meg," he said. 

Meg smirked at him. "Nice clothes. You look like a mini-Winchester-gone-angelic. It's kinda hot."

There were about ten people around them, at least two couples kissing, all crammed in the hallway. It was little hard to hear her, but Cas felt himself blush anywya. "Um, thanks. I think." 

"It was a compliment, Clarence," she explained, smiling at him. 

"Oh, thank you," Cas said. 

Meg smiled, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "Hey, you wanna go somewhere a little more private?" She looked around the hall to the other kids their age drinking and doing whatever they wanted. 

Cas shrugged. "Um... okay?" 

Meg grinned. "Awesome. Follow me." Instead of letting him follow, she took his hand and led him to one of the rooms in the hall after checking that it was empty. She shut the door behind him and they both looked around. 

Cas saw that it was a bedroom. There were two armchairs facing each other on the other side of the bed, and he and Meg both walked over to the chairs and sat down across from each other. Cas looked around after they'd sat to see that it was a nicely decorated room, with a picture of a couple in their mid-thirties, with two kids, a girl and a boy next to him. 

Meg looked like she was about to say something, but Cas ended up asking, "Are those your parents?"  
Meg suddenly looked like he'd just punched her. "Oh..." She looked across the room to the picture. "Yup." 

"And you and..." 

"My brother," Meg said. "He's somewhere downstairs. He goes by the stupid name 'Crowley,' but he's actually called Gus." 

Cas smiled. "That's silly," he said. 

Meg couldn't help but smile back. "I agree." 

Cas looked at the picture. "You look pretty," he said. "I mean, you obviously--" He cut himself off, hoping he didn't sound as pathetic as he knew he did. "You look pretty in a different way in the picture," he explained. 

Meg shrugged. "Well, I was nine, so... I guess." Suddenly, she smiled. "You think I'm pretty?" 

Cas looked down shyly. "Um, yes?" 

Meg giggled. "Aw, shucks, Clarence," she teased. "You're makin' me blush." 

"I apologize," Cas said slowly. 

She only laughed more. After a moment of silence, Meg held out her red plastic cup from her chest to Cas. "Wanna sip?" 

"Oh, um, no. Thank you, though." Cas didn't really know what she was drinking, but he refused anyway. 

Meg smiled. "M'kay, Clarence." She took a sip of her cup and sighed. "Soooo?" 

"Where are your parents?" Cas asked suddenly. "They let you have parties like this?" 

Meg's expression faltered. "Oh, uh... they're kind out-of-town. It was totally perfect, like, a week after the first day of school." She grinned. "Then I got the idea to invite you, angel, and it got even better." 

Cas blushed a bit. "Thank you," he said, unsure of what else to say. "I'm glad you invited me. I-I like you..." I should've let Dean show me how to hold a conversation-- 

But, as it turned out, Cas didn't need to hold a conversation. Meg had shifted herself forward on the edge of her chair so her face was inches away from Cas's. 

"I like you, too, Clarence," Meg said with a smile. 

Cas's heart was beating quickly in his chest. Meg leaned closer and closer to him until their lips met, and for the third time after being around her, Cas thought his mind would melt from overload. It was just a small kiss, not much, but Cas felt like he was floating already. 

After a few seconds, Meg started to pull away. "So--" 

Cas leaned back over to her and kissed her back this time, causing Meg to squeak and the giggle into the kiss. Meg's breath tasted like alcohol and honey. 

Meg lifted herself and moved closer to Cas, suddenly sitting on his lap. He instinctively put his hands on her hips and held her closer, feeling her hands on Cas's head as ran her fingers through his hair. Cas wasn't sure how much longer the kiss could go on; he was already out of breath already, and he'd never actually done this before. But Cas felt Meg's other hand against his neck and it sent a chill down his spine. 

Meg finally pulled back to breath a few moments later. She and Cas both stared at each other. Then Meg grinned. "Wh... What was that?" 

Cas felt himself blushing. "Er... sorry." 

Meg laughed. "Nah, it's cool. Really liked it." She'd kept her hand against his neck, and then Cas felt a little bit of pressure there. "A lot..." She leaned back over to Cas. 

And that was when the door opened. 

Meg nearly jumped off of Cas's lap from being startled, and Cas himself had no clue of what was about to happen when he saw the look his best friend was giving him.  
"Dean?" Cas asked, his voice dry and confused. 

Dean's eyes were half-open lazily. "Whoa," he said. "You 'n Cas?" he asked Meg. He rolled his eyes when she just glared at him. "Wh'ever. Cas..." He yawned a bit. "Cas we... gotta..." He shut his eyes and moved towards the bed. "You mind? I wanna sleep before--"  
"NO!" Just then, a girl Cas knew as Joanna-Beth Harvelle ran into the room. "Dean, get up. I'm driving you 'n Cas to--" Jo stopped, looking over at Cas and Meg, who were still froze and staring. "Um, s'cuse me?" She asked Meg. "It's my time to take these two home." 

"Why's it your responsibility?" Meg huffed. 

"Because I promised," Jo said. "And I'm only driving them 'cause I'm not drunk." She looked at Cas. "Come on, Castiel. We need to get Dean somewhere he'll feel better when he wakes up with a massive hangover." 

Cas looked up at Meg, who pouted. "Um, s-sorry," he told her nervously. 

Meg looked down at him. "Ehhh, you'll find a way to repay me." She smiled. "For now..." She leaned against him and kissed him again. 

"Hellllooooo!" Jo yelled, waving her arms for emphasis. "What am I, invisible?" 

"I'm coming, Joanna-Beth," Cas said as Meg got off of his lap. He walked over to Jo. "Do we have to carry Dean?" 

"I'm a unnniiiicccooorrrrnnn--" 

"Yup, probably." Jo smirked to herself. I can't wait to use this as blackmail. She grabbed Dean and so did Cas, the two towing him away. "Nice goin' with that girl, by the way," Jo added.  
"Thanks," Cas said quietly. He felt a little dizzy, and before he knew it they were all outside in front of the Impala. 

"Now. Do you know how to drive?" Jo asked. 

"Um, sort of," Cas said slowly. "Not really, no. Why?" 

Jo sighed. "Guess I'll have to pick up my car later. C'mon, get Dean in the back seat." 

They both plopped Dean into the back, hearing him groan. "Mmm..." Dean mumbled angrily. "I'm cold!" 

Jo rolled her eyes. "So he's that kind of a drunk," she said wistfully. "Awesome." She sighed and opened the car door to the Impala. "Keys, keys, keys...?" she murmured to herself, searching. 

"I think Dean has them in his pocket," Cas replied matter-of-factly. 

Jo sighed and turned around. She reached into the pocket of Dean's coat and heard him giggle when she moved her hand around. Wrong pocket. She went to the other and did the same. By the time she found the keys, Dean was swatting at her, making her nearly drop the keys. 

"Idiot," she mumbled. She turned on the car and sighed. "Okay, Cas. I'm gonna take us to my place." She stopped. "Not sure if Dean needs to be 'round even more alcohol, but we sure do know how to treat a hangover. Let's go." Without a moment's notice, the three were heading off.


	12. First Dates & Chocolate Cake

Dean's head was pounding ferociously when he woke up. The black spots before his eyes made him nearly fall off of the bed in the room he was in--

Where the Hell am I? 

At first, Dean thought he was maybe still at the house of the party. But he thought otherwise when he heard a pool table being played, and drinks clinking from the downstairs of the room. 

But if not at Meg's place, then where the Hell was he? 

Dean sat up, but winced as soon as he did so. "God, I'm hungover..." he mumbled. 

Just then, the door creaked open, and in came Cas. He was wearing the same clothes as he had been the night before, and his eyes were heavy from being sleep-deprived. "Oh. Hello, Dean." 

Dean gulped, finding his throat to be quite dry. "Hey, Cas," he said, nodding to his friend. He frowned. "Wh-what happened last night?" 

Cas frowned back. "You were drunk. And you walked in when--um, you walked inside of a random room in Meg's house." 

"Oh," Dean said, narrowing his eyes. "Um. Where are we?" 

"Joanna-Beth's mother owns a bar," Cas explained. "She took us here. You're in Joanna-Beth's bed." 

Dean scowled. Joanna-Beth? It took him a long moment to realize who Cas was talking about. "I'm in Jo's bed?" he questioned. Cas nodded. Dean smirked. "Didn't know I was that drunk." Cas, not getting the joke, shrugged and smiled awkwardly. Dean laughed and stood up slowly. "So, what've you been doing? How long was I out?" 

Just then, Jo walked up from behind Cas and put her arm around him. She faced Dean with a smirk. "'Bout time, Sleeping Beauty. My Mom was beginning to wonder if you got alcohol poisoning, or somethin'." 

Dean shrugged. "You try getting drunk and getting a hangover on a Friday night." 

Jo smirked. "I think I'd rather let you 'n Cas talk about his night. Or, should I say, very specific rendezvous with a certain girl." 

Cas blushed. "Joanna-Beth, we were merely--" 

"The girl was sitting on your lap," Jo insisted. "And stop calling me that! Only my Mom calls me Joanna-Beth, and that's a rarity as it is." 

Dean stepped forward, his headache dispersing as he thought hard. He vaguely remember, in a drunken haze, about Cas staring at Dean with a black-haired girl on top of him. "What girl?" 

Jo sighed. "Meg Masters." 

"Meg Masters?" Dean repeated. 

"We were just--" 

"In the middle of probably making out when Dean barged in and called you unicorns," Jo clarified. "Yeah. I know. Trust me. But what I don't wanna know are the dirty details." 

"Joanna-Beth!" Cas cried, scandalized. 

Jo and Dean smiled at each other, the two seeming to have some sort of pleasure from making Cas feel uncomfortable. 

Jo sighed and patted Cas's head. "Don't worry, Castiel. I'll keep your secret from your big brothers. And, of course, Gabriel. He'd start teasing you mercilessly, I bet." Cas nodded awkwardly. "See? We're becoming buds already." She elbowed him playfully, and they both smiled until she turned and went out. 

Cas frowned at Dean. "She scares me." 

Dean nodded. "Me too." He walked to the door. "Kinda like it." 

Just as Dean went out the door, a woman walked right up to him. "Good morning, Sunshine," she said sarcastically. "Took ya long enough. I made breakfast for ya. Toast good enough? We have chocolate cake, too, but... Is toast alright?" 

Dean blinked. The woman was wearing a light green jacket with a brown shirt and she had this motherly look on her face that Dean knew all too well-- Mess with me and you're gonna die. 

"Um, yeah," Dean said. 

"Yes." 

"Huh?"   
"Yes, not yeah." 

Dean frowned. "Oh. Yes... Ma'am." 

Cas walked over. "Oh, Dean. You met Mrs. Harvelle. She's very, very nice." 

The woman smiled warmly back at Cas. "Call me, Ellen, please, hon." 

"Yes, Mrs--er... Ellen." 

Ellen smiled. She looked at Dean. "Now. I don't know 'bout you, boy, but I think you ought to never touch alcohol until after you're of age. Or else I'll call your parents. And let them deal with ya--" 

"Hey, I--" 

Ellen rolled her eyes. "Don't you dare talk to back to me," she snapped. She turned around and moved down the stairs. "I'll be in the bar if ya need me. Follow your pal Cas to the dining room." 

Dean sighed and looked around. There were on the second floor of a building, and the place looked fairly run-down. There were posters and pennants hung up on the walls, and a family picture of a little blonde girl and two parents hanging next to one of the doors, which seemed to lead to a bedroom. When Jo walked out of the bedroom, Dean realized that the little blonde girl with the innocent eyes and wide smile, with the arms of her dad around her, was Jo. 

"Hello, Joanna-Beth," Cas said as Jo sulked over. 

Jo frowned at him. "Are you gonna call me that just to annoy me?" 

"No. Your name is pretty." Cas looked at Dean. "Right?" 

Dean rolled his eyes. "Yeah, Cas, she's all pretty rainbows and sunflowers. Look, I'm hungry." He looked around. "I'm gonna head home, 'n get--" 

"No way," Jo insisted, her eyes wide. "You're stayin' here, Dean." 

"What? Why?" 

She sighed. "I trust that you've met my mother?" Dean and Jo stared at each other while Dean caught in. 

Ellen Harvelle doesn't seem like the kind of woman I wanna mess with, Dean thought. "Um, okay," he said reluctantly. "I'll stay for a while. But I gotta go home soon. And I gotta tell my parents--" 

"I went on your phone last night," Jo shrugged. "Told your parents that you were stayin' at a friends' house with Cas. Cas confirmed it, and your Mom said to have fun." 

Dean frowned. "I have a passcode on my cell phone." 

Jo shrugged. "My cousin Ash is a genius. Tough luck. Besides, having a code of '6666' isn't real impressive or effective." She walked to the side of the stairs and leaned agains the railing. She pointed to the room next to her bedroom. "That's the kitchen and living room for my family. Ash's still in there. Probably eating Cheerios or Mom's chocolate cake still, too. There's toast ready. Later, boys." She stomped down the stairs without another word. "And the chocolate cake is not yours!" she added. 

Dean sighed and looked at Cas, who shrugged. "Well," Dean said. "Looks like we're havin' toast. C'mon, Cas." 

 

Sam rubbed his hands against his jeans nervously. He stood against the wall to the movie theater, holding the two tickets he'd gotten for him and Jess. 

Sam had been nervous a lot of times in his life. The day Dean had introduced him to their cousin, Maria, who had a crush on Sam, was one. When the Winchesters went to Disney when Sam had been four, and he'd gone onto a roller coaster that freaked him out. There had been a lot of times. But nothing compared to right now, waiting for his first date. 

"Relax, relax, relax, just a girl, relax," he mumbled to himself. 

Just then, Sam spotted from the corner of his eye a familiar girl. He turned and smiled, but Jess wasn't looking yet. There was a man behind her, seeming to be arguing about something with her. 

Sam heard, "Dad, seriously, I can..." 

They started to walk to the ticket line, but Sam walked over. "Um, h-hey," he said. "I already--I mean..." He waved the tickets in front of them. 

The man, her dad, turned, and Jess did too. Jess smiled wide, while Jess's dad frowned at Sam. 

"Hi, Sam!" Jess said. She looked at her Dad and frowned right back at him. Stop that, she seemed to be saying. "This is my dad." 

Sam smiled and put out his hand. It was a bad habit, to do that to adults, after living your life with Marines and soldiers. Most of the people Sam knew were adults, and a majority of those adults were soldiers. "Hi, sir." 

Jess's dad raised a surprised eyebrow. "Hello." He shook Sam's hand, and Sam realized he was surprised by how firmly Sam knew how to shake hands. "Very formal," he joked. 

Sam blushed. "Oh, uh, sorry. We--I mean, my family..." He shook his head. "My dad's an ex-Marine. We move around a lot, and most of the adults I know shake my hand like that, sorry." 

"No, it's alright," Jess's dad shrugged, seeming a little bit less uncomfortable. He looked over at his daughter. "Have a nice night, sweetheart." 

Jess smiled. "Bye, Daddy." He kissed her on the forehead, nodded at Sam, and then headed out. 

Sam smiled at Jess. "Ready to go in?" 

"Yup," Jess said. "Just one thing. Did you get candy?" 

"Oh, no, I didn't know--" 

"Good. I'm buying." She gave him a push of the shoulder. "And next time, don't buy me a ticket!" 

Sam smiled. Next time. "I can get the--" 

"Nope. Sorry." Jess took his hand and led him away. "You may be trying to be a gentleman, but I happen to be trying to be a friend. Come on." They found themselves by the snack line, and within minutes they had gotten a box of popcorn, two sodas, and a pack of Milk Duds. 

"I love these things," Jess said with a smile. "They're all chewy and chocolately." 

Sam laughed. "Right?" he agreed. They both walked into the movie they had chosen; some strange movie about two brothers who fought demons and ghosts and stuff. It was the fourth movie in a series, with angels put into the mix of talking about the Apocalypse. 

The movie made little to no sense to them. Sam thought that the younger brother--what had his name been?--made the most sense out of all the characters. He pictured himself in that kind of a life, having watched friend after friend get hurt because they know you. It terrified him, the idea of Jess being among those people. 

I wouldn't last a day in that world, Sam thought. Those two brothers are so fictionalized, it's almost funny. 

After the movie ended, Sam and Jess walked out to the front to find Mary Winchester sitting in the lobby, holding a book of crossword puzzles. Sam felt his heartbeat quicken when his mother spotted them and lit up like a Christmas tree. 

This isn't going to be good, Sam nervously guessed. He led Jess over to Mary and introduced them. "Jess, this is my Mom. Mom, this is Jess Moore." 

Mary smiled at Jess and put out a hand. "Mary Winchester." 

Jess smiled sweetly at Sam's mother. "Hi! Jess." She shook her hand and then the two awkwardly stood there for a while. Then Jess looked at Sam. "Aren't you going to go?" she asked, her eyebrows narrowing. "You're mom's--" 

"Oh, no," Mary insisted, just before Sam could. "We're not going to leave you here alone, honey! Wouldn't dream of it!" 

Jess sighed, a worried look on her face. "Thank you." 

Sam watched Jess cautiously. She'd been acting strange ever since they'd gotten into the theater. With terror, he wondered if he'd done something wrong. "C-can I talk to you for a sec...?" he asked, glancing at his Mom. Mary didn't take this hint for a few moments. Finally, she left them. 

"Yup?" Jess asked, taking a deep breath. She crossed her arms and looked at him. 

Sam tilted his head. "A-are you alright?" 

She sighed exasperatedly. "No," she said. "My stomach is killing me. I think I caught something, or, whatever." 

Sam instinctively raised his hand to her forehead. His eyebrows furrowed. "Jess," he said, concerned. "You're burning up!" 

Jess blushed and pushed his hand away. She winced as soon as she moved her arms from around herself. Sam realized now that she was only crossing her arms to stop herself from keeling over in pain. 

"When's your Dad getting here?" he asked. "You should call him, he--" 

She shook her head. "He'll be here any minute. Really, Sam, just go." 

Sam smiled hopefully at her. "Tough luck. I'm not goin' anywhere until you are." 

Jess smiled at him. "You're really sweet, Sam," she said. She sighed, closing her eyes. "I'm really sorry." 

"For what?" 

"I shouldn't have agreed to the date," she said. Sam froze, staring at her. 

I knew it I knew it too good to be true not happening this is soooooooo not happening, Sam's imagination flew wildly around. 

"It's not fair," she said, pulling Sam back to the real world. "I'm about to move and I like you but I don't want you to like me because... we can't..." She frowned at her shoes. "I dunno. It's not fair." 

"I already told you--" Sam started. 

"Sam," Jess said. She pressed her hand against her warm forehead. She took a deep breath. "I know. You're an amazing friend. And I like you. A lot. Because you're the sweetest guy I've ever met. But... I don't want to do that to you. My parents are having us move in less than three weeks, and I guess I'm just..." 

Sam had a feeling he knew where this was going. Am I about to be what Dean would call 'friend-zoned' because she's moving? 

"Sam, maybe we can just be friends," Jess said. Her happy smile returned, hopeful and promising. 

"Oh," Sam said. He managed the most natural smile he could. "Sure.Yeah. We can--totally."   
Jess smiled. "Thank you for understanding, Sam," she said. She grinned. "If you're not mad at me, maybe I could hold you to that video-chat thing you suggested earlier this week?" 

Sam grinned. "Yeah," he said. "Definitely." 

Just then, a car pulled up and Jess sighed. "That's my Dad." 

Sam and Jess both stared at each other for a few moments. Finally, Sam turned to see his Mom standing in the pillar. She gave him this look that made him blush, though he didn't know why. When he turned back to Jess, she was giggling. 

"Bye, Sam," Jess said. She walked over to the car. Little did she know, she'd just left Sam in a vaguely depressed state due to one thing. A broken heart.


End file.
